PROPAGATION AND TRANSPLANTING OF SASKATOON (AMELANCHIER ALNIFOLIA NUTT1) SOFTWOOD CUTTINGS

Rooting of Saskatoon (Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt.) cuttings was not affected by 0.1, 0.3 and 0.8% IBA in talc or by cutting size (9 and 13 cm). Semi-hardwood nodal cuttings were superior to non-nodal cuttings, but rooting was generally low. Wounding increased the root score on semi-hardwood cuttings, but not the rooting percentages. Softwood cuttings taken in late June rooted better than cuttings taken 2 wk earlier and also semi-hardwood cuttings taken on the later date. Cuttings rooted in the mist bed with bottom heat were generally intermediate between rooting in the plastic-enclosed structure with no bottom heat and the inferior rooting in the open structure with no bottom heat. A minimum root score of 3 was necessary to expect any degree of survival. An unshaded transplant frame with bottom heat at 3 °C proved best for overwintering summer transplanted cuttings, followed by cuttings mulched and overwintered in the mist beds. In general, shading increased leaf drop, decreased maturity, increased stem splitting and decreased survival.