Propagation of Neoza Pine (Pinus Gerardiana Wall.) through cuttings and air-layering

Abstract

Pinus gerardiana Wall. (Neoza pine) is a native of North-West Himalaya. The pine is valued for its edible nuts which fetch very high price in the market. Since natural regeneration is scanty and growth rate very slow, an alternative method of vegetative propagation was investigated for large scale multiplication/raising clonal seed orchard in the species. It was evident that cuttings of seedling donors and those of girdled ones produced significantly better bud activity, rooting and root characteristics as compared to those of pole/tree donors and non girdled cuttings. A significantly highest rooting of 36 % was recorded when girdled cuttings of seedling donors were treated with 1% IBA + 10% captan + 10% sucrose-talc during April. However, as far as air layering was concerned, application of 0.75% IBA + 10% captan + 10% sucrose-talc or 1% IBA + 10% captan + 1-% sucrose-talc during June proved most effective resulting in 43.33 % rooting each when performed at Kalpa/Peo forests of district Kinnaur.