A propagation method is being developed that allows softwood shoots to be generated from stem sections of dormant woody plant species. These shoots, forced in the greenhouse during the winter, are subsequently collected and processed as softwood stem cuttings to produce clonal plant material. Many species in the nursery industry can only be propagated using softwood cuttings, and this technique allows propagation of these species to be initiated several months earlier than what is typically possible. Current studies involve expanded screening of ornamental tree and shrub species to determine if commercial production using this technique is feasible. Results demonstrate that many species may be propagated using this method, but that some species are more prolific than others with respect to number of softwood shoots produced. Additional studies are currently in progress to determine the environmental (light regime, moisture regime) and cultural (type of media) conditions that are optimal when producing clonal plant material via this technique.
Effects of shrub species and microhabitats on dew formation in a revegetation-stabilized desert ecosystem in Shapotou, northern China
