Relationship of water to adventitious rooting in stem cuttings of Populus species

• Published in: Agroforestry systems Vol. 58; no. 1; pp. 1 - 9
• Main Authors: Puri, Sunil, Thompson, F.B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer 01.01.2003; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: adventitious roots; Agroforestry; Artificial regeneration. Forest nurseries. Planting; balance studies; Biological and medical sciences; Cuttings; flow resistance; Forestry; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; hardwood; Moisture content; plant cuttings; Plant populations; Plant propagation; Populus canadensis; root growth; Roots; shoots; Soil moisture; soil quality; Soil water; soil water potential; stems; Trees; vegetative growth; vegetative propagation; Vegetative propagation. Micropropagation; Water; Water balance; Water flow; Water potential; water requirement; Water use; xylem; Vegetative propagation; Root; Growth; Soil moisture; Interspecific comparison; Rhizogenesis; Rooting physiology; Water potential; Root development; Salicaceae; Adventitia; Soil water properties; Water regime; Cutting(agronomy); Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Poplar; Hardwood forest tree; Spermatophyta; Populus canadensis; Agroforestry
• ISSN: 0167-4366; 1572-9680
• DOI: 10.1023/A:1025494221846

Populus species, characterized by fast growth and easy vegetative propagation, are widely used in agroforestry practices. The substantial water requirement of poplars make them interesting subjects for water balance studies. No information exists on soil moisture requirements for initial root and shoot growth of Populus cuttings. This study on leafless hardwood cuttings of Populus x euramericana (Dode) Guinier cv. 'Robusta' examined the dynamics of water use during propagation, as influenced by two initial soil water potentials (-0.006 and -0.06 MPa). Differences in the initial water potential of the cuttings was achieved by three pretreatments i.e., fresh, soaked and dried. Initial Ψ^sub shoot^ was -1.45, -0.10 and -2.10 MPa in fresh, soaked and dried cuttings, respectively. Soil moisture had a major effect on rooting. Water-stressed cuttings took a longer time to root and had fewer roots. Pre-soaking of cuttings stimulated rooting, particularly under the drier soil moisture conditions. Initially the water potential of cuttings decreased with time and with the formation of roots it stabilized in all the pretreatments. The reduction in water potential of cuttings after planting was related to an increase in resistance to water flow in the xylem.[PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]