Delayed flowering and reduced branching in micropropagated mature wild cherry (Prunus avium L.) compared with rooted cuttings and seedlings

The development of micropropagated wild cherry (Prunus avium L.) was compared in the nursery and the field with cuttings and seedlings, over a total period of 6 years. Summer semi-hardwood cuttings tended to produce moderate numbers of branches in the season following propagation, whereas micropropagules and seedlings produced significantly fewer or none at all. Removal of branches from cuttings resulted in taller trees. A greater proportion of cuttings than micropropagules flowered in the first year in which trees produced flowers. In the second flowering year, there were no differences in flowering habit between cuttings and micropropagules. Propagation by cuttings or micropropagation did not consistently affect increments in stem diameters or heights. These results are discussed in terms of the suitability of micropropagation and cuttings to produce clonal wild cherry. Received: 23 February 1997 / Revision received: 3 January 1998 / Accepted: 5 February 1998