Chapter 13 - Techniques for cuttings

Question 1

cuttings are used chiefly for propagating ________________?

Answer 1

ornamental

shrubs—deciduous species as well as the broad-and narrow-leaved types of evergreens

Question 2

cuttings

Answer 2

Portions of stems, roots, or leaves that are detached from a plant and used to clonally multiply new plants.

Question 3

Hardwood Cuttings (Deciduous Species)

Answer 3

Hardwood cuttings are those made of matured, dormant, firm wood after leaves have abscised.

Question 4

hardwood deciduous cuttings timing

Answer 4

Hardwood cuttings are prepared during the dormant season—late fall, winter, or early spring—usually from wood of the previous season’s growth,

Question 5

softwood cuttings and the timing

Answer 5

Cuttings prepared from the soft, succulent, new spring growth of deciduous or ever-green species are softwood cuttings. The softwood condition for woody plants: 2 to 8 weeks. Softwoods are produced during growth flushes. Softwood cuttings generally root easier and quicker (2 to 5 weeks) than other types but require more attention and sophisticated equipment.

Question 6

herbaceous cuttings

Answer 6

Herbaceous cuttings are made from succulent with little woody tissue like geraniums, chrysanthemums. 8-13cm long leaves retained at the upper end.

Question 7

semi hardwood cuttings

Answer 7

Semi-hardwood cuttings are those made from woody, broad-leaved evergreen species, and leafy summer and early fall cuttings of deciduous plants with partially matured wood.

Question 8

semi hardwood cuttings timing

Answer 8

Cuttings of broad-leaved evergreen species are generally taken during the summer (or late spring through early fall in warmer climates) from new shoots just after a flush of growth has taken place and the wood is partially matured.

Question 9

herbaceous cuttings timing

Answer 9

Unlike softwood cuttings, herbaceous cuttings can be taken any-time of the year, weather permitting.

Question 10

what is a practical issue with root cuttings?

Answer 10

Securing cutting material can be labor-intensive. Not all species should be propagated by root cut-tings.

Question 11

two major factors to consider when sourcing cutting material

Answer 11

• Free of disease and insect pests

* True-to-name and type

Question 12

what are some + ves to of stock plants? 3

Answer 12

1. accurate history and identity of each stock plant.. 2. easier to use techniques such as hedging-back, mounding, stooling, and banding on stock plants.
2. maintaining uni-formity

Question 13

what is ‘de-eyeing’?

Answer 13

the removal of lower axillary buds to prevent suckering of rootstock.

Question 14

when is the best time of year for taking root cuttings? Why?

Answer 14

Take in late winter or early spring when roots contains stored carbohydrates but before new shoot growth.

Question 15

what is the minimum number of nodes for a hardwood cutting?

Answer 15

atleast 2 nodes.

Question 16

what is suberisation?

Answer 16

The process of forming a protective, semi impermeable layer that occurs under the wounded surface area of a cutting.

Question 17

what are the 4 functions of the cutting propagation medium?

Answer 17

• To hold the cutting in place
• To provide moisture for the cutting
• To permit exchange of air at the base of the cutting
• reducing light penetration to the cutting base

Question 18

what are the 2 main components of a cuttings propagation mix?

Answer 18

organic component

coarse mineral component

Question 19

what is Rockwool?

Answer 19

a type of coarse mineral component of cuttings media.

Question 20

What are some different ways of wounding cuttings?

Answer 20

carrot peeler.

Question 21

Why should wounded tissues be cleanly cut, rather than crushed?

Answer 21

damaging the cells that are there to produce the callus cells. promotes pathogen fungi entering the wound.

Question 22

list 3 reasons why cuttings are treated with auxins

Answer 22

increases the percentage of cuttings that form roots, hastens root initiation, and increases uniformity of rooting.

Question 23

What is the advantage of K-IBA over IBA?

Answer 23

enable IBA
(e.g., K-IBA) and NAA (e.g., K-NAA) to be dissolved in water.  nurseries will use K-IBA (water-based solution) with cuttings during active growth stages (softwood, semi-hardwood) and use IBA with ethanol during dormant periods (hardwood) to avoid burning and dehydrating the tissue of the cuttings.

Question 24

What organic alternatives are there to the use of IBA and NAA?

Answer 24

algae extract, brewer’s yeast, and seaweed dry extract. An extract of macerated seeds was as effective as IBA in the propagation of olive cuttings for organic production

Question 25

What are some disadvantages of talc applications of auxin?

Answer 25

Talc formulations are generally less effective than IBA in solution at comparable concentrations

Question 26

Why is the quick-dip application method generally preferred over the dilute solution soaking method?

Answer 26

dilute soaking is this is a slow, cumbersome.

Question 27

What is a contact polyethylene system?

Answer 27

An enclosed propagation process where watered-in hardwood or semi-hardwood cuttings are tightly covered by a sheet of poly in a propagation house under shade control.

Question 28

hardening off

Answer 28

The stress adaptation process or acclimation that occurs as a rooted cutting is gradually weaned from a higher to a lower relative humidity environment during propagation.