ROOTING OF PROLIFERATED DWARF SHOOT CUTTINGS OF JACK PINE (PINUS-BANKSIANA)

Proliferated dwarf shoots were induced via pruning of several age-clas ses of jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.), and rooting capacities of pr oliferated dwarf shoot cuttings were determined. Plants pruned at 2, 4 , 6, and 8 years of age yielded proliferated dwarf shoot cuttings that rooted as high as 87, 86, 60, and 49%, respectively, when sampled 2 y ears later. These frequencies were markedly higher than those observed for long shoot cuttings sampled from plants of similar ages. The resu lts of this study are of practical significance, since jack pine has b een regarded as a difficult-to-root species, and suggest that operatio nal asexual propagation may be feasible for plants up to 8 years of ag e.