The Latest Technical Method Tutorial for Cutting Propagation of Chinese Bayberry

Chinese bayberry (Morella rubra, also known as waxberry) is a small tree fruit with high edible value, mainly planted in the southern provinces, and historical findings show that Chinese bayberry cultivation dates back several thousand years. Planting first requires raising seedlings, and the seedlings are then transplanted to complete the planting process. So how should cutting propagation be carried out, what issues need attention, and what preparatory work should be done. In the following content, all of this will be explained clearly.

I. Cutting Preparation

Cutting propagation of Chinese bayberry is the main method for rapidly propagating Chinese bayberry seedlings in large quantities. The time to obtain seedlings does not require the long waiting period of sowing, and the survival rate is also higher than that of grafting propagation. Therefore, when large-scale planting is needed and the sowing time has been missed, this propagation method is chosen. First, cutting requires a large number of strong one-year-old or two-year-old fruiting branches, preferably with plump buds. In addition, skilled workers are needed to prune the branches. It is also necessary to prepare some clean buckets and purchase enough rooting powder. Furthermore, small arched sheds need to be built for cutting management; if conditions permit, this can be done in a greenhouse with drip irrigation facilities installed.

II. Cutting Method

For cuttings, generally the collected branches are first trimmed to remove two-thirds of the leaves, and only then are the branches cut into cuttings of about 10 cm in length with a flat cut at the upper end and a slanted cut at the lower end. Removing leaves and making the flat cut serve to reduce transpiration, while the slanted cut at the lower end serves to maximize contact with the soil and produce more roots. Then the cut branches are uniformly placed into a bucket containing a rooting powder solution and soaked for half an hour. You can roughly keep track of the time; it is best to put branches cut at the same time into the same bucket. This avoids confusion and excessive soaking time. When inserting the cuttings, first use a branch about 0.5 cm thick to poke a small hole about 6 cm deep in the seedbed, then place the branch into it and gently press the nearby soil so that the branch and soil are closely combined. Be careful not to force the branch directly into the soil, as this easily damages the branch; if the lower cut becomes frayed, it will be difficult to root, so the soil must be watered thoroughly before cutting. Do not insert the cuttings too densely; generally the plant spacing is about 3 cm, and the row spacing is about 5 cm.

III. Cutting Management

After cutting, small arched sheds should be built promptly to preserve heat and moisture, and temperature and humidity can be adjusted manually. Generally, during the hot daytime, the two ends can be kept closed to isolate outside heat. In the evening, ventilation should be carried out promptly to avoid suffocating the seedlings. On cloudy days, ventilation can be done appropriately, but in low-temperature weather ventilation should not be carried out until the temperature rises, and then ventilation should be increased gradually. The small arched sheds should be covered with shade netting to block strong light, reduce transpiration, and avoid water shortage. Because there are no roots in the early stage, watering must be done once in the morning and once in the evening every day to maintain a moist soil environment. There must not be any dry conditions. However, in the later stage, the amount of watering can be gradually reduced, until roots are fully developed and the seedlings survive, at which point watering can stop. Finally, the seedlings can be lifted. Three days before lifting the seedlings, apply a light fertilizer solution once and water the seedbed thoroughly to avoid damaging the roots when lifting the seedlings.

The above is all about the process of Chinese bayberry cutting propagation, with some precautions regarding the preparatory work interspersed throughout. Therefore, in actual production, special attention must be paid to operations in this regard. However, in different regions, the planted varieties are different and the environments are also different, and all of these need to be included in the specific implementation considerations for cutting propagation.