Clonal effects in propagating oak trees via in vitro culture

Shoot growth, shoot multiplication in vitro, and rooting of shoots were compared in 6 clones derived from adult trees originating from a single plot in a french forest and in 16 clones derived from seedlings originating in the NE of France or in the Netherlands. The results showed strong within-provenance variations affecting shoot growth, multiplication factor, number of subcultures that could be achieved and, for the clones from adult trees only, frequency of shoots that rooted. In contrast, significant between-provenance differences could not be shown.