Rhizopon ( indole-3-butyric acid ) for orchids?

[Cowboys East]

Hello Everyone,
I used this stuff ( indole-3-butyric acid ) all the time in my Horticulture Propagation class in college many years ago for cuttings. I was a Agricultural Economics major so I had the pleasure of having Hort as a requirement. Pretty sure it is the same stuff in KLN. I have 3 pounds of it in 3 different concentrations that I got to root some roses for my mother. It is almost 5 years old but has been kept in a cool dry place. Has anyone ever used this product for root stimulator for Orchids specifically? Could this be used to promote keikis on Phals? Didn't know if I should keep it or get rid of it. Thanks as always. Hopefully one day soon I will be answering questions on this board instead of asking them.

neil

[Ray]

IBA is present in K-L-N at about 0.01-0.02% (I think I'm remembering correctly), and it contains an equal amount of another synthetic rooting hormone, naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). At that concentration, it is recommended that it be added to fertilizers at a rate of no more than a few drops per gallon. If overdone, I can confirm it will cause deformity in phalaenopsis flowers, and have heard that it can stunt vegetative growth, as well.

If you have kept the Rhizopon solid cool and dry, it might be OK. If it is in solution, it's probably decomposed after that length of time.

They do not stimulate keiki production. That takes some other cytokinins.

[Cowboys East]

Thanks Ray for the information. So you are saying that given how old it is, lack of keiki production, and the difficulty in measuring proper quantities, I should keep this stuff away from my orchids? I will just get some K-L-N and KeikiPro. Thanks again for the help Ray.

neil