Vegetative Propagation of Platanus orientalis L. by Coppice Shoot Cuttings

Finding an effective, fast, and cheap procedure to propagate ornamental trees is a key step in the management of urban green space. Platanus orientalis is one of the most popular species in urban areas. The aim of this study was to estimate the effects of cutting diameter (5-10, 10-15, and 15-20 mm), cutting position (north, west, south, and east facing), and auxin treatment (0, 50, and 100 mg mL-1) on rooting and shooting of P. orientalis cuttings. For these purposes, 1-year-old P. orientalis shoot cuttings were collected from coppice stumps stand with 1 x 1 m planting space. The results showed that cutting diameter and cutting position significantly affected rooting (number of roots and mean root length) and shooting (number of shoots and mean shoot length) traits. Higher rooting traits were obtained by using cuttings diameter in the ranges of 15-20 mm with east- and west-facing stand orientation. Auxin treatment did not show a significant effect on rooting and shooting of the prepared cuttings. Interestingly, principal component analysis ordination diagrams based on rooting and shooting traits indicated clear patterns with respect to diameter classes, while they did not show any patterns for auxin treatment and cutting position classes. In conclusion, the most suitable procedure derived from this work was using shoot cuttings of coppice stumps at diameter ranges of 15-20 mm with a high solar radiation regime.