Development of a rooted cutting propagation method for Prunus serotina

Black cherry (Prunus serotina) is the only native Prunus species (southeastern Canada and throughout the eastern United States) that is of high commercial value for timber and sawlog production. Black cherry wood is highly valued in North America for cabinets, furniture, fine veneer, and architectural woodwork. Hardwood lumber mills are constantly seeking high-quality sources of this fine hardwood species because stands of large, straight-stemmed black cherry trees are becoming increasingly diffi cult to find. Forest inventories conducted in the largest commercial range of black cherry (Kentucky, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and New York) estimate the volume of black cherry growing stock on timberland at 120.6 million m3, with an average annual harvest of 1.4 million m3. Attack by several species of insects causes gum defects in black cherry, resulting in reduced timber quality, especially for veneer. Vegetative or clonal reproduction of a commercially important hardwood tree species is necessary in a tree improvement program; in order to provide test materials for genetic studies and as improved planting stock for use in production forestry. Vegetative propagation methods (including rooted cuttings) will be required in order to produce clones of elite or genetically improved genotypes of black cherry. Adventitious root formation is a requirement in any successful vegetative propagation program. Many ecologically and economically important hardwood tree species have a low genetic or physiological capacity for adventitious root formation, and are considered recalcitrant to routine, commercial-scale vegetative propagation. However, successful propagation of difficult-to-root species can be achieved if the type of cutting (hardwood, softwood, or root), date of collection (seasonal growth development), stock plant or cutting manipulation (pruning, wounding, etc.), rooting treatment (auxin type and concentration, rooting media), and greenhouse parameters (mist bed system, supplemental lighting, temperature, etc.) are carefully considered. The objective of this study was to determine the conditions necessary for successful stem-cutting propagation of black cherry.