Configuration and development of root systems of cuttings and seedlings of Eucalyptus globulus

Stem cuttings of Eucalyptus globulus are used within tree improvement programs and for mass deployment. To be successful, cuttings must perform as well or better than seedlings. The root systems of cuttings are fundamentally different from those of seedlings. If these differences influence growth, the differences and their consequences must be identified and the propagation system manipulated to improve performance of the propagules.Cuttings are only a viable alternative to seedlings as planting stock if the method of propagation does not affect their growth and development adversely. Full-sibling cuttings and seedlings of Eucalyptus globulus were compared under controlled environmental conditions to minimise extraneous sources of variation, and to establish whether changes in growth or development were induced by propagation. On three occasions over a period of eight weeks root-collar diameter, shoot height, leaf and stem weight, shoot/root ratios and root system morphology were measured on cuttings and seedlings. Seedlings were taller than cuttings throughout the experiment, but both plant types had similar height growth rates. Diameter growth rates were lower in cuttings than seedlings, and there were differences in both height and diameter growth rates between families. Root system configuration differed between the plant types. Seedlings had strongly gravitropic tap-roots, with two types of primary roots from which secondary roots emerged. Cuttings had no tap roots, and the main structural components of their root systems were adventitious roots formed during propagation. Cuttings did not develop further structural roots during the experiment, whereas seedlings continued to develop primary roots. Individual primary roots of cuttings were longer and had larger mid-point diameters than those of seedlings, but the total length of primary roots was greater in seedlings. Seedlings also had a greater number and total length of secondary roots. Shoot/root ratios, calculated from a range of functional measures, were higher in cuttings than seedlings.     

The physiological basis for loss of rootability with age in avocado seedlings

Rooting ability of cuttings from avocado (Persea americana Mill.) seedlings declined during the first 12 months of development. Cuttings from one-year-old seedlings rooted at a similar rate to cuttings prepared from mature plants. The amount of gibberellin-like substances in the leaves decreased during this time whereas abscisic acid content increased. Application of GA to avocado seedlings induced shoot elongation but failed to maintain the initial, high rooting ability. Treatments with ABA and AM0 1618 had no effect on either rooting or elongation. During the development of roots, the endogenous Avocado Rooting Promoter (ARP) accumulated at a faster rate in juvenile cuttings than in mature cuttings.     

Nitrogen mobilization, nitrogen uptake and growth of cuttings obtained from poplar stock plants grown in different N regimes and sprayed with urea in autumn

Nitrogen mobilization, nitrogen uptake and growth of cuttings obtained from poplar stock plants fertigated with different nitrogen (N) treatments and sprayed with urea in autumn were studied. Stock plants propagated from poplar cuttings were trained to a single shoot and fertigated with 0, 5, 10, 15 or 20 mmol l(-1) N during the first growing season. In October, a subset of stock plants from each N fertigation treatment was sprayed twice with either 3% urea or water, and overwintered outside. In March, total tree biomass and total N concentration and content of stems were estimated for stock plants in each treatment, and cuttings were taken from the middle of each stock plant and stored in plastic bags at 2 degrees C. In mid-April, cuttings were planted in 7.5-l pots containing N-free medium and grown outdoors with a weekly fertigation with nutrient solution containing 0 or 10 mmol l(-1) 15NH4 15NO3. In mid-July, cuttings were harvested, and new shoot (new stems and leaves), shank (old cutting stem) and roots were analyzed for new biomass growth and total N and 15N content. Growth of stock plants was positively related to N supply in the previous growing season. Foliar urea application in autumn had no effect on subsequent stock plant growth even though urea sprays increased both N concentration and content in stem tissues. Biomass growth of cuttings obtained from stock plants was closely related to their N content when the cuttings were grown in an N-free medium regardless of previous treatments applied to the stock plants. When N was supplied in the growth medium, the strength of the relationship between regrowth and N content of cuttings was significantly reduced. Cuttings from stock plants treated with foliar urea and grown in a N-free medium remobilized between 75 and 82% of their total N for new growth, whereas cuttings from plants receiving no urea spray remobilized only between 60 and 69% of their total N for new growth. Current N fertilization of the cuttings reduced the percentage of N remobilized. We conclude that new growth of poplar cuttings in spring was more dependent on currently applied N than on reserve N, and urea N applied as a spray in autumn was more easily remobilized than N taken up by roots during the previous season.     

Maturation in Douglas-fir: II. Maturation characteristics of genetically matched Douglas-fir seedlings, rooted cuttings and tissue culture plantlets during and after 5 years of field growth

Seedlings, rooted cuttings from juvenile stock plants, and cotyledon-derived tissue culture plantlets were propagated from several coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) full-sib families so that the rooted cuttings and plantlets were clonally identical. The stock types (seedlings, rooted cuttings and plantlets) were planted in the field in spring 1987. In fall 1991, after five complete growing seasons, the plants were measured and these values compared to maturation "markers" identified for Douglas-fir in the companion paper (Ritchie and Keeley 1994). Nodal branch lengths and nodal branch diameters decreased in the order seedlings > rooted cuttings > plantlets. The decreases were about 21% for nodal branch lengths and 24% for nodal branch diameters. Seedlings carried significantly more total branches (nodal + internodal) than the other two stock types. Height growth was similar for the three stock types, but plantlet height increment was beginning to decrease during the fourth year. We conclude that vegetative propagules of Douglas-fir exhibited traits of mature trees. These were particularly marked in the cotyledon-derived plantlets.     

Influence of gibberellic acid and stock plant irradiance on carbohydrate content and rooting in cuttings of Scots pine seedlings (Pinus sylvestris L.)

Seedlings of Pinus sylvestris L. were grown at three different irradiances (12, 30, or 60 W m(-2)) under a 17 h photoperiod. After six weeks, cuttings were excised and rooted at 30 W m(-2). Gibberellic acid (GA(3), 5 microl of 2 x 10(-4) or 2 x 10(-3) M) was applied to each cutting immediately after excision. Cuttings from stock plants grown at the low irradiance rooted most quickly, whereas the highest number of roots per cutting was obtained in cuttings from stock plants grown at 30 W m(-2). Gibberellic acid delayed rooting and reduced the number of roots in cuttings from stock plants grown at 12, 30, or 60 W m(-2). The initial carbohydrate content of cuttings increased with stock plant irradiance. For all carbohydrates, except myoinositol and an unknown inositol derivative, the content per cutting increased during the first 28 days of rooting. The GA(3) treatment significantly reduced the starch content of cuttings during the rooting period, but did not significantly change the content of ethanol soluble carbohydrates.     

母株年龄和插穗基部切削方式对日本落叶松生根的影响*

在无激素处理的条件下，１．５年生幼龄母株的插穗易于生根，平均生根率达９６．０％以上，且发根最大，偏根率低；４．５年生时，插穗生根率极显著低于１．５年生母株，而与８．５年生母株无显著差异；１２．５年生母株插穗生根率又极显著低于８．５年生母株。母株年龄与插穗生根率和偏根率分别呈显著的负相关（ｒ＝－０．９６５２）和极显著正相关（ｒ＝０．９９９３），但与生根量和平均最长根长度无显著相关。插穗基部切削方式不     

Influence of environment, fertilizer and genotype on shoot morphology and subsequent rooting of birch cuttings

Differences in rooting ability of birch (Betula pubescens J.F. Ehrh.) cuttings were observed as a result of differences in genotype and physiology of the stock plants. The uniformity in response among cuttings from micropropagated plants compared with cuttings from seed plants confirmed the advantage of using micropropagated plants to study environmental effects. Shoot morphology of the seed stock plants was influenced by both photoperiod and thermoperiod. A day/night temperature of 15/25 degrees C reduced stem elongation compared with a day/night temperature of 25/15 degrees C regardless of photoperiod, and a continuous light regime resulted in more shoots per plant in both temperature regimes than a 16-h photoperiod. A reduction in the supply of macronutrients did not influence shoot morphology, but increased rooting substantially and seemed to override the effects of environmental factors. In cuttings of seed plants, the highest rooting percentage and number of roots were obtained in a 16-h photoperiod with a day/night temperature of 15/25 degrees C. In micropropagated stock plants, there was a positive correlation between shoot length and number of leaves per shoot and topographical distribution of light within the plants, but there was no correlation between these parameters and rooting ability of the cuttings. A rooting temperature of 16 degrees C delayed the rate of root production compared with the rate at higher temperatures, but the final rooting percentage was the same over the range from 16 to 28 degrees C. Root branching increased with temperature. At all temperatures, there was a large increase in sucrose content at the base of the cuttings during rooting, whereas the concentration of nontranslocated sugars remained constant. The carbohydrate content at the base of cuttings from micropropagated stock plants was three times higher than at the base of cuttings from seed stock plants, but the higher carbohydrate content was not correlated with a higher rooting potential.     

Efficiency of planting hybrid larch F1 ( Larix gmelinii var. japonica × L. kaempferi ) at different planting densities and using seedlings or rooted cuttings

The efficiency of planting a hybrid larch F₁ at two planting densities and of using seedlings of hybrid larch F₁ or rooted cuttings of Gream, the registered variety, was investigated. Significantly more time was required to move from one planting spot to the next in plots with 625 seedlings/ha than in plots with 1,333 seedlings/ha, but there was no significant difference between seedlings and rooted cuttings. Approximately 18% more time was needed to plant a single planting stock at the low planting density than at the high density. The need to prune roots or enlarge a planting hole occurred more often for rooted cuttings than for seedlings, and 17% more time was needed to plant rooted cuttings of Gream than seedlings.     

马尾松扦插繁殖技术的研究

对马尾松进行扦插繁殖试验,结果表明,采取剪除1～2年生母株的全部当年生新梢促萌,主梢可提高繁殖系数20倍以上,侧枝提高4倍以上;用吲哚丁酸和自配混合促根水溶液处理插穗,可使1年生母株穗条扦插成活率由40%提高到80%以上,多年生母株穗条扦插成活率由20%提高到60%以上。并表现出明显的年龄效应。扦插苗的地径明显大于同级实生苗。其全株重量、根重和根长亦显著增大。同时受母株遗传性所制约。说明其具有较大的无性系选育潜力。     

Growth,morphology and photosynthetic activity in flooded <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alnus japonica</Emphasis> seedlings

This study was conducted on Alnus japonica seedlings subjected to flooding for 2, 4, and 6 weeks to examine responses in growth, morphology, and photosynthesis to different periods of flooding. Seedlings subjected to flooding for 2 and 4 weeks were drained after flooding then watered daily. Increases in biomass of leaves, roots, and whole plants were less for 6-week-flooded seedlings. Rate of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance of flooded seedlings decreased within 2 weeks. For 2-week-flooded seedlings recovery from reduced stomatal conductance and recovery of photosynthetic activity occurred after drainage. For the 6-week-flooded seedlings stomatal conductance recovered by the end of the experiment. Adventitious root formation by the 4 and 6-week-flooded seedlings was observed from the third week of flooding. These results suggest that recovery of reduced function in leaves may progress with development of adventitious roots during the period of flooding.     

Growth and nutrient use efficiency of water tupelo seedlings in flooded and well-drained soil

Growth characteristics and nutrient utilization rate of Nyssa aquatica L. seedlings grown in pots containing flooded or well-drained soil were compared in a greenhouse study. For most of the growing season, relative height and diameter growth rates, and biomass accumulation rates were greater for seedlings in flooded soil than for seedlings in well-drained soil. The concentration of Fe in the roots of seedlings in flooded soil was almost tenfold greater than that of seedlings in well-drained soil. However, flooding had no effect on foliar Fe concentrations. The flooding treatment resulted in decreased concentrations of N in all component parts and increased concentrations of P in the roots and stem, but it had no effect on foliar P concentrations. In response to flooding, foliar K concentrations decreased, whereas the concentration of K in the roots increased. Flooding had no effect on the K concentration of the stem. Seedlings in flooded soil produced more total biomass per milligram of nutrient absorbed than seedlings in well-drained soil, suggesting that N. aquatica seedlings are more efficient at producing biomass and height growth under hydric conditions than under mesic conditions.     

Pine weevil (Hylobius abietis) damage to cuttings and seedlings of Norway spruce

Damage caused by pine weevil (Hylobius abietus L.) to planted seedlings and cuttings of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) was studied at five clearcut sites in south-eastern Sweden. The main objective was to compare the two types of stock in terms of attack frequency and mortality due to pine weevil feeding. Cuttings and seedlings with the same initial stem-base diameter (4 mm) were compared. Two sites were harvested and scarified shortly before planting, two were harvested shortly before planting, but were not scarified, and one was harvested 2 years before and scarified the autumn before planting. The total mortality 5 years after planting was highest, greater than 90%, at the new, non-scarified sites, and lowest, 23%, at the old, scarified site. More than 90% of the mortality was caused by pine weevil feeding. Attack frequency and pine weevil induced mortality were significantly higher among seedlings than among cuttings. Mortality due to pine weevil damage was 4–43% higher in seedlings than in cuttings after the fifth year. Of the cuttings and seedlings that were attacked in the first year, a significantly higher frequency of the seedlings were girdled. The higher resistance of cuttings to pine weevil damage may partly explain the more rapid growth of cuttings reported in other studies. However, the causes of their higher resistance need to be further investigated. The thicker bark and needles on the stem base of the cuttings could be important in this respect.     

Effect of Genotype,Age and Treatment of Stock Plants on Propagation of Hybrid Aspen (Populus tremula×Populus tremuloides) by Root Cuttings

The ability of 1- and 2-yr-old stock plants of five hybrid aspen (Populus tremula L.×Populus tremuloides Michx.) clones to produce root cuttings and sprout was studied. Different stock plant treatments designed to improve root mass production and rooting vigour of cuttings were also tested. The 2-yr-old stock plants produced significantly more cuttings than the 1-yr-olds, but the age of stock plants did not have a significant impact on the sprouting ability of cuttings. The stock plant treatments caused significant variation in sprouting of cuttings. The clones differed significantly in their ability to produce cuttings and to sprout, and in the time needed for sprouting. Variations in the studied characteristics indicate that genotype selection will be efficient and economically worthwhile in root cutting method. The root cutting method clearly results in more cuttings and sprouted aspen plants per stock plant than the stem cutting method.     

Early root development of poplars (Populus spp.) in relation to moist and saturated soil conditions

Poplars (Populus spp.) are among the fastest growing trees raised in temperate regions of the world. Testing of newly developed cultivars informs assessment of potential planting stock for local environments. Initial rooting by nine poplar clones was tested in moist and saturated soil conditions during an 18-day greenhouse experiment. Clones responded differently to soil moisture, particularly in number of roots, root distribution, and root dry mass accumulation. About 73% of cuttings planted in moist soil produced roots from callus tissue, whereas only 1% of cuttings planted in saturated soil developed such roots. This drove root distribution towards the basal section of cuttings in moist soil, while in saturated soil roots were more evenly distributed among all three below-ground sections of cuttings. Roots originating from the basal section of cuttings planted in moist soil were longer than roots originating from apical and middle sections. Conversely, roots from the apical and middle sections of cuttings planted in saturated soil were longer than those originating from the basal section. Initial rooting among poplar clones established under two soil moisture regimes has implications for genotype deployment in the field, but long-term effects in the field are still unknown.     

木本植物扦插繁殖及其影响因素

扦插繁殖是根据植物细胞的全能性原理, 采用植物的茎、叶、根等器官进行无性繁殖的重要技术, 在苗木生产中得到了广泛应用.文中论述了木本植物扦插繁殖的重要意义及其在快速育苗中存在的优缺点, 对影响扦插成活的内在因素如树种遗传性差异、插穗年龄、插穗规格、插穗部位、插穗下切口形状, 以及外在因素如扦插时间、插穗的化学和物理处理方法、扦插基质状况、温度、湿度和光照条件等进行了分析, 介绍了提高木本植物扦插成活率的技术方法和所取得的成果, 对应用前景和不足之处进行了探讨.通过对国内外木本植物扦插繁殖相关技术的总结和分析, 以期为今后的研究提供参考.     

Vegetative propagation of Inga feuillei from shoot cuttings and air layering

Cuttage and air layering were evaluated as means of vegetative propagation of the tropical woody tree, Inga feuillei. Effects of moisture management systems, leafiness, auxin application, and stem diameter on rooting of semihardwood cuttings were investigated. Cuttings were taken from 2-year-old seed-propagated, greenhouse-grown stock plants. Compound leaves were either reduced in area or removed entirely before auxin pretreatment with 0, 0.3, or 0.8% indolebutyric acid (IBA) followed by sticking under mist or in a polyethylene enclosure. Leafless cuttings did not root regardless of moisture management system or auxin pretreatment, whereas 55% rooting of leafy cuttings was observed. Leafy cuttings rooted significantly better under mist than in a polyethylene enclosure. Auxin treatment at the higher level increased rooting percentage approximately two fold for larger diameter cuttings (8.1 to 20 mm), but had no effect on the smaller cuttings (2 to 8 mm), and resulted in an approximately three fold increase in the number of roots/rooted cutting for both stem diameter classes. Auxin treatment did not affect rooting percentage of leafy softwood cuttings under fog, however it did increase the number of roots per rooted cutting. One hundred percent of air layered shoots rooted within 5 weeks with or without auxin pretreatment, and all rooted layers survived transplanting to soil. Possible implications of this research on agroforestry, selection, genetic improvement, and conservation are discussed.     

Carbon and nitrogen mobilization in Larix x eurolepis leafy stem cuttings assessed by dual (13)C and (15)N labeling: relationships with rooting

Changes in use of both stored and newly synthesized sources of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) were investigated during rooting of leafy cuttings of Larix x eurolepis A. Henry. We used dual (13)C and (15)N long-term labeling of reserves of stock plants and followed isotope dilution of the labels in the cuttings to determine the respective proportions of C and N derived from stock plant reserves (Q(C,old), Q(N,old)) and from newly synthesized sources (Q(C,new), Q(N,new)). We also assessed their partitioning into the growing needles and roots. Because rooting development occurred over several months, destructive harvests were made during three periods (t(0): April 9; t(1): May 15 to June 5; t(2): June 12 to June 26). Total C content (Q(C)) of cuttings did not change with time, whereas total N content (Q(N)) decreased significantly between t(0) and t(2). In rooted cuttings, unlike unrooted cuttings, total N concentration decreased less markedly in needles and in the lower stem component between t(1) and t(2) than between t(0) and t(2). The lower stem of rooted cuttings contained more Q(N,old) than that of unrooted cuttings and showed lower C:N and (13)C:(15)N ratios. The increase in Q(N,new) in the lower stem was positively correlated with rooting status. At t(1), new roots appeared and grew mainly at the expense of Q(C,new) and Q(N,old). By t(2), root growth was mainly dependent on new assimilates. We conclude that in leafy cuttings the initial amount of N reserves, rather than C reserves, may constitute a limiting factor for rooting.     

Adventitious roots, leaf abscission and nutrient status of flooded Gmelina and Tectona seedlings

When flooded, seedlings of Gmelina arborea Roxb. produced more adventitious roots, had lower foliar Mn concentrations and lost fewer leaves than seedlings of Tectona grandis L.f. Severing the adventitious roots produced by flooded Gmelina seedlings increased leaf Mn concentration and leaf abscission and reduced whole-plant dry matter production. Flooded Gmelina cuttings, which do not produce adventitious roots, abscised few leaves until foliar concentrations of Mn and Fe had risen substantially above those of unflooded cuttings, at which time most leaves were shed. The results indicate that the development of adventitious roots in flooded seedlings of Gmelina suppressed uptake of Mn thereby minimizing leaf abscission.     

Patterns of photosynthesis and starch allocation in seedlings of four bottomland hardwood tree species subjected to flooding

Effects of short-term (32 days) flooding on photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, relative growth rate and tissue starch concentrations of flood-intolerant Quercus alba L. (white oak), bottomland Quercus nigra L. (water oak), bottomland Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall. (green ash) and flood-tolerant Nyssa aquatica L. (water tupelo) seedlings were studied under controlled conditions. Net photosynthetic rates of flooded N. aquatica seedlings were reduced by 25% throughout the 32-day flooding period. Net photosynthetic rates of flooded Q. alba seedlings fell rapidly to 25% of those of the control seedlings by Day 4 of the flooding treatment and to 5% by Day 16. In F. pennsylvanica and Q. nigra, net photosynthetic rates were reduced to 50% of control values by Day 8 but remained at approximately 30 and 23%, respectively, of control values by Day 32. Leaves of flooded Q. alba seedlings accumulated approximately twice as much starch as leaves of non-flooded control plants, whereas root starch concentrations decreased to 67% of those of control plants by the end of the 32-day flooding treatment. In contrast, flooding caused only a small increase in leaf starch concentrations of N. aquatica plants, but it increased root starch concentrations to 119% of those of the control plants by the end of the experiment. The co-occurring bottomland species, Fraxinus pennsylvanica and Q. nigra, differed from each other in their patterns of stomatal conductance and root starch concentrations. We conclude that the maintenance of low leaf starch concentrations, and high pre-flood root tissue starch concentrations are important characteristics allowing flood-tolerant species to survive in flooded soils.     

Recent trends in nursery practice in New Zealand

The plantation resource in New Zealand is now 1.73 million hectares, of which 90% is Pinus radiataD. Don (radiata pine). The resource has been expanding at over 50,000 ha per year since 1992, although new planting is currently declining. In 1998, new planting and restocking of previously clear-felled areas was 81,100 ha. Initial stocking rates vary, but are typically in the range of 800–1000 plants per hectare, requiring around 80 million nursery plants to be raised per year.Sufficient open-pollinated seed is produced for New Zealand requirements. An increasing proportion of more expensive control-pollinated seed is being used to increase genetic gain. This has led to increased use of vegetative propagation by cuttings and tissue culture, providing more than 25% of current planting stock. These propagules, especially cuttings, often have better early performance compared with seedlings, perhaps because of their larger size. Clonal forestry options are also now being evaluated.Seedling quality specifications have been well defined for bare-root radiata pine, but not well quantified for more recent plant types such as vegetative propagules or container-grown plants. Both root system quality and physiological age can be important for vegetative propagules. These propagules, especially cuttings with a physiological age of less than 4 years, have performed as well as seedlings for growth, and have been better than seedlings for stem form and early stability. Container-growing of planting stock is being introduced with this more valuable genetic material, and issues of plant quality are being raised, as it is expensive to grow large stock in containers. More research should be done to determine what plant quality standards are required to ensure successful establishment with these stock types.