A comparison of rooting success of greenhouse-grown and field-grown slash pine cuttings

Abstract

This experiment compared the rooting response of cuttings taken monthly from slash pine (Pinuselliottii Engelm.) clones maintained in a greenhouse environment and in a field environment. Greenhouse cuttings rooted better in all months except for the first May collection. Seasonal variation was less pronounced in cuttings taken from the greenhouse-maintained plants, and May collections gave the highest percentage rooted from both locations. Average rooting by clone varied from 47 to 4% for field tests compared with 63 to 19% for greenhouse tests. Environmental effects on rooting, known to be critical on ramets in the propagating bed, are shown to be important also on the ortets.