Laboratory 8 Vegetative Propagation Cuttings Introduction Cutting is the most common vegetative propagation methods in forestry.

. In agriculture and horticulture the method is commonly applied to grapes (Vitis vinivera), passion fruit (Passiflora edulis), bread fruit (Artocarpus communis Forts), lime (Citrus aurantifolia), epal (Malus sylvestris Mill.), lada (Piper nigrum L.), vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andr.) and beetle leaf (Piper betle L.). In forestry, fast-growing non-dipterocarps can be propagated using cuttings such as Acacias, Eucalyptus, pulai (Alstonia angustiloba), sentang (Azadirachta excelsa), kayu manis (Cinnamomum iners), jelutong (Dyera costulata), sesenduk (Endospermum malaccense), khaya (Khaya ivorensis), nyatoh (Pouteria malaccensis). The technique has also produced several types of Dipterocarpus, Shoreas, Hopea odorata and Dryobalanops aromatica. There are various types of cuttings, but stem cutting is the most common in forestry. Objectives Produce planting material from stem cutting Materials Plant material Soil Sand Plastic sheet Polybags Water Scissors Knives Blades Pruners

Procedures 1. General Procedure After taking cuttings from any part of the mother tree, soak the base part in clean water to avoid entrance of air. To hasten rooting, hormones may be used. The basal part of each cutting is inserted into the hormone. Excess hormones are slightly knocked off from the cuttings. The hormone can also be mixed with water into a paste. Leafy part of the cutting is removed, only leaving half of a leaf. Planting media recommended; soil : sand (1 : 1) Cuttings can sown in rooting beds or polybags The cuttings must be protected from sun light and rain Cuttings sown on rooting beds must be transferred to polybags first The cuttings are ready for planting after the growth of new buds and twig 2. Characteristics of stem/twigs for cuttings Plants of not more than a year Not too young or too mature Free from pest and diseases Fertile and does not indicate lack of nutrient Less than 0.5 cm in diameter Cuttings should have adequate number of buds (3-5) 3. Plant stock preparation in forestry Materials for cuttings are taken from juvenile stems of seedlings, rooted cuttings or ortotrophic shoots of pruned stock plants Cutting materials for most tree species cannot be taken directly from mature trees they will not root Stock plants are raised in pots or on the grown with light intensity at 25 to 30% full sunlight
Session 2011/12 Mandy Maid

Basic maintenance such as watering, weeding, fertilizer, insecticide, fungicide applications has to be made to ensure healthy growth of the stock plants Repeated pruning of stock plants is necessary to produce new coppice shoots and juvenile growth of cuttings

4. Cutting preparation Cuttings are made from single node of 5cm in length Leaves of cuttings are trimmed to reduce water lose Bases of cuttings are sliced at right angle to the stem and treated with hormone The stem cutting is embedded into polybag or rooting beds filled with cleaned river sand Stem cutting should be kept in an enclosed space (polythene sheets) that has volume of water at the base of the propagator below the rooting medium Regular inspection needed to remove dead cuttings or leaf materials Rooting medium should be changed with new batch of cuttings to avoid contamination Rooting medium can be washed with water and removing all stones and plant debris, and solar sterilized Light intensity should be 15 to 30%, and relative humidity above 80% Cuttings require regular assessment those with lignified roots should be potted and those with fragile roots must be replanted in the rooting media 5. Evaluation Observe and record the rooting and survival of your cuttings for the next three weeks. Reference Krishnapillay, B. 2002. A manual for forest plantation establishment in Malaysia. Malayan Forest Records No. 45. FRIM, Kepong, Kuala Lumpur.

Session 2011/12 Mandy Maid