Basic information on vegetative and sexual propagation of Prumnopitys andina (Podocarpaceae), a vulnerable species in the south-central zone of Chile

Abstract

Prumnopitys andina (Lleuque) is a threatened endemic conifer species from Chile and Argentina whose forests have been severely fragmented. To restore this ecosystem, information on basic concerns such as plant material propagation, among others, should be generated. However, such an information is still insufficient. The objective of this paper is to report basic aspects of seed germination and rooted cuttings of P. andina. To evaluate germination, the seeds were subjected to three pregerminative treatments: 1) direct sowing, 2) stratification in wet sand, and 3) stratification with sulfuric acid. To evaluate rooting capacity, the cuttings were immersed in a solution containing 0, 500, 1,500 and 4,500 ppm of indole butyric acid. The results show that stratifying the seeds in sulfuric acid and immersing the cuttings in the 0 ppm of indole butyric acid solution give the best germination and rooting results, respectively. This indicates that the species needs pregerminative treatments to improve seed germination and that indole butyric acid in the tested doses does not improve the rooting capacity of the species.