Search

New Jersey tea (Ceanothus americanus L. [Rhamnaceae]), sand cherry (Prunus pumila L. [Rosaceae]), and sweetbells (Eubotrys racemosa L. [Ericaceae]) are eastern US native shrubs with high potential for expanded landscape use because of their numerous ornamental attributes and adaptability. Micropropagation protocols were developed for these species that produce acceptable shoot multiplication rates, 100% microcutting rooting, and high-quality liner plants. New Jersey tea is not easily produced from seed or stem cuttings for commercial purposes, but we have demonstrated that micropropagation is a viable method for commercial propagation. In addition, micropropagation can be effectively used to rapidly propagate new superior genotypes of sand cherry and sweetbells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Northern bayberry [Morella (formerly Myrica) pensylvanica] is an attractive, adaptable, semievergreen, northeastern North American native shrub that is sought for landscaping but difficult to propagate clonally. The impact of timing (June, July, or August) and concentration of indole-3-butyric acid [IBA (0, 2000, 4000 or 8000 ppm)] on propagation by stem cuttings was evaluated for genotypes of northern bayberry including the female cultivars Bobzam (Bobbee™) and UConn Compact and an unnamed male. Medium formulation and cytokinin type were evaluated for micropropagation of ‘Bobzam’ and ‘UConn Compact’. Stem cuttings of ‘Bobzam’ and ‘UConn Compact’ rooted poorly (at ≤55% and ≤20%, respectively) at all timings and concentrations of IBA; however, rooting success of ≥85% was achieved for the unnamed male genotype when cuttings were taken in June. Micropropagation of ‘Bobzam’ was successful using Woody Plant medium with 4 mg·L−1 zeatin and explants taken from shoots that had expanded 12 to 18 cm on containerized stock plants. Initiated explants of ‘Bobzam’ required eight subcultures before they began to produce shoots consistently at a 2× multiplication rate and eventually reached a 3× multiplication rate. Micropropagation attempts using Murashige and Skoog medium, the cytokinins 6-benzylaminopurine, meta-topolin, and thidiazuron, or the cultivar ‘UConn Compact’ were unsuccessful. Microshoots of ‘Bobzam’ rooted at ≥80% either by in vitro prerooting or ex vitro rooting directly in trays. Rooted micro-cuttings easily acclimated to greenhouse conditions and grew rapidly when potted to 1.04-L containers and then into 5.68-L containers. The micropropagation protocol developed for ‘Bobzam’ can be used by propagators to expand production of this popular female cultivar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]