Ficus Carica - Hardwood cuttings

I have read in several webpages that ficus carica cuttings are very easy to root, even from branches with considerable diameter. So, I decided to experiment with this tree which is also a mediterranean species and this last January I have cut two pieces of branch. Diameter is about 2.5-3.0cm. One of the two cuttings is placed upside down into the pot for the reason of reverse taper and for the fun of the experiment.

I have used plain perlite as substrate medium and rooting hormone and I have put the pot into black plastic bag. I have opened the bag after the first 20 days to check for buds, I misted the cuttings and closed the bag. When I opened the bags for the second time after 20 more days the apical bud of one cutting was opened to form a tine leaf, so I have made a shift to transparent plastic bag.

Below are photos of the bigger cutting which has sprouted lots of white roots above the soil/perlite surface. You can clearly see the fleshy roots in the second photo. And my question is:
What should I do with those roots? Let them be until they die alone? Or else?

Please, pay no attention to the stones... they serve the obvious purpose of keeping perlite in place

Thank you in advance!

It is difficult to tell from your photo, but are you sure those are roots and not shoots? Whichever they are I would just pinch them off if you don't want them where they are growing.

Have you checked how many roots are growing in the perlite?

Justin, yes I am absolutely sure these are roots.
No, I have not checked into the perlite. I do not want to disturb the new roots. However, I believe that since enough roots are growing above ground the same is happening below the surface..., or am I wrong?

Ficus can have good roots in 30 days, I would report into something larger to get the plant established, before trying to make a bonsai of it. BTW, this is the edible fig? Right? and the leaves are fairly large? right?

Yes, Billy. You are quite right! Edible fruits, veeeery tasty and big leaves.
However, with proper techniques of pinching/pruning/defoliating the leaves are considerably diminished.
Right now I have not access to my files to give you some links but I hope I will do this later...

Meanwhile, take a loot at this photo

i have many ficus trees and have experienced the "roots". if you let them be, many will die back but some will slowly develop mass and eventually woody roots that will explore other soil/nutrient source and before you know it they have already creeped down and helping the main tree develop like crazy. if these roots find ground though, they will grow much faster than the other roots and will soon overwhelm the trunk. my 2 cents...

Thank you for sharing your information, rexman!

And by the way, here are the above promised links regarding techniques of pinching for obtaining miniature leaves... Better late than never, right?
http://www.espritsdegoshin.fr/bonsai-pratique/cours-pratiques-de-bonsai/93-bourgeonnement-arriere-et-ramification-sur-le-figuier.html

http://www.espritsdegoshin.fr/bonsai-pratique/cours-pratiques-de-bonsai/49-pincement-figuier.html

Because man has cultivated it for fruit for thousands of years this variety of fig, Ficus carica, has been hybridized a great deal. Here in Florida the Ficus carica we grow is self-fertile and I have never seen any aerial roots. Some of my ancestors came to America and Florida to grow figs. The came from Majorca to a place called New Smyrna as indentured servants to work fig plantations for an Englishman named Turnbull, when Florida was briefly an English colony, between about 1764 and 1788. The fig growing didn't last long, the local Native American tribe known as the Seminoles did not agree with the idea of a colony so all the immigrants were killed, joined the Native Americans or escaped to the older, more secure colony of St. Augustine, Florida. Probably because of that history, my family has always had at least one Ficus carica on our property. Although a properly ripened fresh fig can be very sweet, I personally have never cared for the taste or texture. I have one tree growing in the ground now and it has developing fruit, but most of the fruit will be eaten by the birds and the racoons. It is fun to watch the racoons climb the tree to get at the fruit, birds are another matter, they will peck a fruit to see if it is ripe and if not they move on. However because of the peck the fruit will rot. (Much of the above is probably a TMI.)

Dear rexman, if you read this thread on page 2, cram has said :

cram wrote: ... ... the only problem is to find the good variety who keep the initial shape of the leaves after reduction
most of caricas ...loose some "harms" of the leaves ...even until become round...and ugly... ...

Do you happen to know anything about this?
Thank you!

@ Billy
The fruits can be turned into a very tasty jam which is beneficial to constipation problems

The fruits can be turned into a very tasty jam which is beneficial to constipation problems

The fig is a very healthy fruit, but that might be another TMI.