S.D. Akoto - Department of Forest Science, School of Natural Resources, University of Energy and Natural Resources, UENR P.O. Box ۲۱۴, Sunyani, Ghana
M.A. Appiah - Faculty of Forest Sciences and Forest Ecology, Georg–August–University, Busgenweg ۵, Gottingen, German
D.D. Appiah - Department of Social Forestry, Faculty of Forest Resources Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Zambia

Rambutan tree (Nepheliumlappaceum L.) is an important but a lesser known fruit tree in Ghana and has several nutritional and medicinal uses. Efforts to establish plantation of Rambutan in Ghana to ensure its sustainable use is challenged with unavailable planting materials because the seeds are recalcitrant in nature, loses viability easily when exposed to dryness. Seeds are therefore sown directly after extraction from fruit, even with this, most of the seeds do not germinate. A vegetative propagation technique by marcotting was devised to produce planting materials within ۳ months. Four plant species of the same physiological age and spaced ۴m apart were tested in complete random design fashion. Marcots were treated with four Indole-۳-Butyric Acid (IBA) concentrations (۰ Mg/L, ۲۰۰۰ Mg/L, ۴۰۰۰ Mg/L and ۶۰۰۰ Mg/L). Data collected were analysed on number of calluses formed in marcots, survival, shoot and root formation and root length. Comparable but highest survival of marcots was recorded in the ۲۰۰۰ Mg/L of IBA (۱۴.۶۷ +۰.۳۳) representing ۹۷.۷۸%. Marcots with ۲۰۰۰ Mg/L IBA concentration recorded highest mean number of roots (۸.۶۷ +۰.۳۳) formed. Root length ranged from ۳۳.۶۰ +۰.۵۲ in the ۶۰۰۰ Mg/L to ۱۹.۷۷ +۱.۲۶ in the control (۰ Mg/L). Marcots with no IBA recorded ۹.۰۰ +۰.۵۸ as mean number of callused marcots. It is concluded that vegetative propagation technique by marcotting can be a suitable technique for Rambutan planting materials.

Indole-۳-butyric acid, Vegetative propagation, Plantations, Marcotting, tissue culture