Vegetative propagation of mountain fly honeysuckle (Lonicera villosa) by overhead mist and subirrigation

Abstract

We assessed adventitious root formation on stem cuttings of mountain fly honeysuckle [Lonicera villosa (Michx.) Schult.] in separate experiments using overhead mist and subirrigation systems. The concentration of applied potassium salt of indole-3- butyric acid (K-IBA) and the proportions of coarse perlite and milled peatmoss in the propagation medium were varied within both systems. Across treatments, 98% of cuttings in the overhead mist system and 85% of cuttings in the subirrigation system produced roots. In the overhead mist system, root volume, root dry weight, and number of root tips were greatest among cuttings treated with 4000 to 12,000 mg·L-1 K-IBA and stuck into 100% perlite. In the subirrigation system, root dry weight was not significantly affected by K-IBA concentration, but the greatest root volume and number of root tips were produced by cuttings treated with 8000 or 12,000 mg·L-1 K-IBA and stuck into 100% perlite. Despite the natural affinity of mountain fly honeysuckle for moist, organic soils, all of the 18 rooted cuttings we planted in a landscape trial survived and grew appreciably with minimal care over 2 years in a mineral field soil. We conclude that cuttings of mountain fly honeysuckle can be propagated readily by overhead mist or subirrigation, that root system quality is improved substantially by increasing K-IBA concentration and using coarse perlite without peatmoss, and that mountain fly honeysuckle can be grown in typical horticultural landscapes.