A Detailed Guide to Seed Selection Techniques and Propagation Methods for Acer truncatum

Acer truncatum belongs to the genus Acer and is one of the most common maples, named for its swollen winged seeds that resemble a yuanbao (gold ingot). Acer truncatum is a multi-benefit economic tree species that combines high-quality oil, tannin, plant protein, chemical raw materials, medicinal and health uses, ecological protection, special-purpose timber, and red-leaf landscape tourism resources, so its planting prospects are quite good, and it also attracts the attention of many nursery stock growers. If you want to grow Acer truncatum well, you have to start with seed selection and propagation.

How to select seeds of Acer truncatum?

First, the seeds are generally collected by yourself, but note that not all seed-bearing trees can serve as mother trees for collection. Strictly speaking, seeds used for sowing and propagation should be provided by a certified seed orchard or a certified seed base. When collecting, you must collect morphologically mature seeds, which are characterized by a brownish-yellow or tawny pericarp with luster. For seed collection, it is best to choose a sunny day with no wind or a slight breeze. First clean up the debris under the tree, lay down plastic film or woven cloth, and gently tap the branches with a bamboo pole; the seeds will then drift down, and then you collect and bag them.

After seed collection is completed, select those that are well developed, have plump kernels, are of good quality, and are free of pests and diseases for sowing. Only seedlings of Acer truncatum grown from such seeds can have characteristics such as good fruiting, high yield, and strong resistance.

What are the propagation methods?

1. Site selection and land preparation

Choose sandy loam soil with deep soil layers, good drainage, flat terrain, and fertility and looseness as the nursery site. After choosing, carry out pre-sowing land preparation, such as breaking up soil and preserving soil moisture, etc. Prepare the seedbed into a bed 1.5 m wide, with a bed surface width of 1.2 m and a ridge width of 30 cm.

2. Seed treatment

Be sure to select Acer truncatum winged seeds with a purity above 95% and a germination rate above 90%. Carry out sand storage 8 days before sowing. One day before sand storage, first soak them in clean water for 24 hours, then take them out and mix them with prepared fine sand. Fully mix the seeds and sand at a volume ratio of 1:3, and pile them on cool, ventilated ground; you can also dig a pit outdoors for sand storage to promote germination.

3. Sowing

In the Guanzhong region, it is better to sow from mid-March to late March. Generally, the drill sowing method is used, with a row spacing of 40 cm. The soil moisture must be good when sowing. The sowing rate is 10 kg per mu, and the depth of the sowing furrow is about 3 cm; the furrow depth must be uniform. When sowing, open the furrow, sow, and cover with soil at the same time. The soil covering thickness should preferably be 2-3 cm.

4. Emergence

The emergence time is roughly 20-30 days. When more than 1/3 of the seeds break through the soil and emerge, the wheat straw can be gradually removed. For nurseries covered with film, after the seedlings emerge completely, they should be properly ventilated and cooled, and the plastic film should be gradually removed.

5. Seedling stage management

Generally, water once about 2 weeks after the seedlings emerge completely, and apply 5-8 kg of urea per mu along with watering, while also paying attention to pest control. When the seedlings unfold 3-4 leaves, thinning should be carried out in time to remove overly dense seedlings. From early June to the end of August is the period of fastest seedling growth, so management must be strengthened. Generally, apply urea once about every 20 days along with watering, about 10 kg per mu. After the end of August, topdressing and irrigation should be stopped to prevent excessive vegetative growth of the seedlings.

Overall, Acer truncatum has very high comprehensive value. As a high-quality ecological and economic tree species, Acer truncatum has high value for planting and promotion, but the prerequisite is that seed selection and propagation must be done well in order to improve planting benefits.

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