Rooting stem cuttings of Chinese chestnut

Rooting of Chinese chestnut (Castanea mollissima Blume.) stem cuttings following treatment with indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) was investigated. Tip and basal cutting from vigorous epicormic shoots and terminal shoots with 2–3 cm of the previous year's wood were taken from mature regions of trees approximately 40 years of age. Cuttings were dipped for 5 s in an aqueous solution of either 3 or 6 g l^?1 IBA. Rooting occurred only in the basal softwood cuttings. Average rooting of 33.5, 5.0 and 1.6% for ‘AU-Leader’, ‘AU-Homestead’ and ‘AU-Cropper’, respectively, was obtained using the 3 g l^?1 IBA solution, and 35.0, 6.7 and 3.3%, respectively, using the 6 g l^?1 IBA solution.