A series of experiments was undertaken at the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana to investigate whether Milicia excelsa could be propagated from root cuttings, and to assess the influence of tree age (2 or 20 yr old), and cutting length (6 or 12 cm) and orientation (vertical or horizontal) on shoot and root production. Cuttings of diameter 5-15 mm were collected from trees in the field, treated with fungicide, cut to the appropriate length, and inserted into a coarse river sand growing medium, treated with fungicide and insecticide. The cuttings were placed in a low-technology propagator. Shoots emerged from the proximal ends of swellings in the cambial region of cuttings after about 6 wk, and roots developed from the distal ends later. Cuttings from older trees did not develop shoots, but 70.7% of cuttings from the younger trees had developed shoots after 24 wk. Longer cuttings formed shoots better regardless of orientation, and a vertical orientation produced more shoots than a horizontal one. The cuttings displayed a marked polarity, with shoots always arising from the proximal end, and roots from the distal end, regardless of whether they were planted with distal or proximal end upwards.
Publication year
1996
Authors
Ofori D A; Newton A C; Leakey R R B; Cobbinah J R
Language
English
Keywords
forests, multipurpose trees, rooting, shoots, planting, vegetative propagation, vegetative, research
Geographic
Ghana
