Abstract

The crucial point for the exploitation of Mediterranean species for agronomic purposes relies on the availability of planting material with high physiological quality. As it is known, the plant propagation may be realized by seed or by asexual or vegetative propagation. The latter has an unquestionable advantage for the propagator because it allows obtaining plants that reproduce exactly the genetic and morphological characteristics of the parent plant and, theoretically, it allows to obtain a large number of individuals in a short time. Among the various types of asexual propagation used in the nursery industry, cutting propagation finds the greater application as it is technically easier to run and economically profitable in respect to all possible alternative methods.
It would be advantageous to set up such propagation method for Mediterranean shrubs that are difficult-to-root, on the one hand selecting superior genotypes and on the other hand developing technical strategies for the improvement of donor physiology and the rooting competence. The environmental factors, irradiance above all, but also nutrient and water availability in the substrate for growth, influence the physiological, hormonal and nutritional status of stock plants and may influence the cuttings quality and their rooting ability. The ontogenetic age of cutting may also influence the propagating attitude of the species.
As regards myrtle and lentisk, few studies have been done concerning the influence of stock plant physiology on rooting. Crobeddu and Pignatti (2005) studied the rooting results of rejuvenated plants, many other Authors focused on micropropagation but no considerations were done about the physiology of donors.
The primary objective of the present research was to enhance the use as ornamental plants of two typical species of the Mediterranean environment, by means of the optimization of nurseries cycles.
In particular, the study focused on physiological and morphological features potentially related to adventitious rooting in myrtle and lentisk.
The specific objectives aimed at: - Determining the influence of light availability and rejuvenation on the morphological, chemical and ecophysiological features of mature plants - Assessing the eventual influences on rooting - Assessing the influence of intra-specific variability on propagation trials, with the declared aim to look for genotypes offering an economically supportable option to propagate the studied species.

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