Propagation of Juniperus for Conservation Plantings

Project Number:

93R-004

Project Duration:

12 Months

Dates:

May 1, 1993 to April 30, 1994

Institution of Principle Investigator while on this project:

New Mexico State University

Investigators (most current known information)

Mexal, John (PI)

Professor, Department of Agronomy & Horticulture, New Mexico State University, MSC 3Q, Las Cruces NM 88003-8003

TEL: +1-575-646-3335, FAX: +1-575-646-6041, Email: jmexal@nmsu.edu

Fisher, James T.

Agronomy & Horticulture, New Mexico State University, PO Box 3003 Dept. 3Q, Gerald Thomas Hall, Las Cruces NM 88003-0003, USA

Harrington, John

New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM 88003-0003, USA

Wagner, Anne H.

Department. of Agronomy & Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Home Economics, New Mexico State University, Mora Research Center, Box 359, Mora NM 87732, USA

Proposal Abstract

Rocky mountain juniper and eastern red cedar are important species for conservation plantings in the Intermountain region. These species exhibit slow and variable seed germination and a long production cycle, often preventing nurseries from meeting the demand. This project was initiated, in part, to examine an alternative production method using vegetative propagation. The vegetative propagation portion of the project had two objectives, one, to examine the influence of several factors known to impact rooting of stem cuttings in other conifer species; and two, to address the potential logistical questions involved in a large-scale vegetative propagation program. Crown position, branch position, plant growth regulator level and harvest date were evaluated on a range of sources from throughout the Great Plains region. The stock plants were 13-year-old select plants from a series of regionwide progeny tests. Overall, cuttings from these trees did not root well. Variability was seen by species, site collected and individual tree.

However, cuttings from some individual trees did root well for one or more collections. The study for the second phase of the project involved rooting of cuttings from young stock plants (less than three years) in various sized containers to examine influence of container size and density of cuttings on the propagation bench on rooting cuttings.

Cuttings from these plants rooted well with an average of 92% rooting for eastern red cedar and 69% for Rocky Mountain juniper.

Outcome

Articles in Journals

Wagner, A.M., J.T. Harrington, J.G. Mexal and J.T. Fisher. 1994. "Progress report on propagation of junipers for conservation plantings." In Proceedings: Intermountain Nursery Conference, 131-136. St. Louis MO.

Wagner, A.M., J. T. Harrington, J.G. Mexal and J.T. Fisher. 1992. "Rooting of junipers in outdoor nursery beds." In Proceedings: Intermountain Nursery Conference, 120-123. Park City UT.