VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION OF AMERICAN CHESTNUT

Critical factors identified for propagation of stem cuttings from American chestnut Castanea dentate include the time cuttings were collected, hormone treatment, rooting environment and the dormancy of rooted cuttings.
In our first experiment, we determined that rooting occurred on 59% of the juvenile softwood and 65% of the semi-hardwood cuttings that were collected on 24 July 2007. The rooting conditions included air temperatures between 25-28°C and medium temperatures between 18-20°C in a closed misting system.
However, none survived the winter or cold storage.
To mitigate these conditions, we developed a two-step protocol to root American chestnut cuttings.
In the first year, a shoot from a selected tree is grafted onto a rootstock.
In the second year, it is moved into a greenhouse in February and new shoots taken and rooted in Apr. and May.
In this second experiment, 46% of cuttings rooted all cuttings leafed out and 15% overwintered successfully.
In a third experiment, we determined that 1-2% IBA was the most suitable rooting hormone treatment.

V International Chestnut Symposium

D. Galic , A. Dale , M. Alward

cuttings, chestnut, propagation

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2014.1019.15