Comparison of explant responses treated with leachate and leonardite sources of humic substances during in vitro rooting of woody plants.

As heterogeneous mixtures of compounds resulting from the physical, chemical and microbiological transformations of organic residues, humic substances (HS) are mostly recognized for their biostimulation of plant growth that firstly involve the root development and architecture before further putative improvement of nutrients uptakes. To avoid the interferences currently reported from external origins, the successive steps of rooting have been carried out using shoots and isolated leaves of birch and alder vitro-plants. Extracts issued from landfill leachate (LHS) has been compared to a stable formulation from leonardite ("Humifirst" 12% humic acid 3% and fulvic acid) commercialized by TRADECORP company's (HHS). Chemical analysis showed that LHS source typically contain much higher N (mainly as ammonium (93%) and chloride concentration than HHS. Used at low concentration (10 ppm) during root induction/initiation phase, both HS sources may be slightly unfavorable to the root formation (21% of reduction in primary root number) of alder but not of birch. While, in root elongation phase, there is an increase in the primary root length and lateral root number. The direct effects of HS on in vitro root development vary from one species to another depending on the root treatment stage. Results showed that both explants type response are equivalent in the development of a complete rooting system.