Variations in rooting ability of cuttings and in seed characteristics of five populations of Juniperus communis var. depressa from subarctic Quebec
Juniperus communis var. depressa is a species with potential for site restoration in the Canadian subarctic and low arctic. We assessed this potential by evaluating the rooting ability of cuttings and the seed quality of five populations of the species along the east coast of Hudson Bay, in subarcti...
| Published in: | Canadian Journal of Botany |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
1994
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b94-066 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/b94-066 |
| Summary: | Juniperus communis var. depressa is a species with potential for site restoration in the Canadian subarctic and low arctic. We assessed this potential by evaluating the rooting ability of cuttings and the seed quality of five populations of the species along the east coast of Hudson Bay, in subarctic Quebec. Cuttings of male and female plants were sampled from each site. Cones were collected, and seeds were extracted, weighed, and then tested for viability. Cuttings from female plants rooted more easily than those from male plants. At high indolyl-3-butyric acid concentration, rooting of female cuttings was inhibited. Among-population differences in rooting ability were large: cuttings from the northernmost population rooted more easily than those from sites further south. Seed number per cone and seed mass and viability also varied significantly among sites. Of the populations studied, the northernmost one produced the lightest seeds and the southernmost one produced the heaviest seeds. Juniperus presents some potential for restoration, but transplant (cutting or seedling) performance in the field should be evaluated before any definite recommendations are made. There is some evidence that seed quality and rooting ability are characteristics that are negatively related in Juniperus, although the basis of such a trade-off has not been investigated. Key words: gender differences in rooting ability, indolyl-3-butyric acid, restoration, Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuaraapik. |
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