EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF CUTTING TYPE AND DIFFERENT ROOTING MEDIA ON THE VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION OF AFRICAN BLACK PEPPER
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Introduction
Piper guineense L., commonly known as African black pepper, is a climbing perennial plant that belongs to the Piperaceae family. It falls under the category of peppers known as false cubebs (Buzzanell and Gray, 1995). The berries of this plant are often used as substitutes for edible black pepper (Piper nigrum) and the closely related cubeb pepper (Piper cubeba). African black pepper is indigenous to the tropical regions of Central and Western Africa and is semi-cultivated in countries like Nigeria, where its leaves and fruits (berries) are commonly sold in markets as a condiment and for food seasoning (Joan and Michihol, 2013). It is referred to as ‘Uziza’ in Igbo and ‘Iyere’ in Yoruba, with other common names including Benin pepper, Guinea pepper, and false cubeb. It thrives in evergreen rainforest edges, typically in moist areas, and along gallery forests near rocky rivers at elevations ranging from 750 to 1650 mm. The leaves of this plant have a pungent taste and emit a pleasant aroma when crushed (Tapsell and Hemphill, 2006). The oleiferous leaves are elliptic, measuring about 5 cm in length and 7 cm in width. They exhibit a peppery flavor, are pale green when fresh, and turn a darker green upon drying. The flowers are small and grow in clusters on common stalks, positioned opposite the leaves or at the tips of the stem and branches. African black pepper is a protogynous plant, meaning the androecium (male part) of the flower matures before the gynoecium (female part) (Okigbo and Igwe, 2007). The stamens typically open 5 to 8 days after the stigma becomes receptive. In Nigeria, African black pepper is a highly aromatic and spicy plant, with various parts cultivated for their pungent aroma. It is also categorized among tiny wild fruits, nuts, herbs, and leafy vegetables with heart-shaped leaves and oval petioles (Iwara and Uboh, 2013).