bigtooth maple: developing new cultivars for outstanding fall color in western landscapes
DESCRIPTION
Bigtooth Maple: Developing new cultivars for outstanding fall color in western landscapes by Dr. Larry Rupp, Utah State University.TRANSCRIPT
Selection and Propagation of Bigtooth Maple for Low-Water
Landscaping
Larry A. RuppUtah State University Extension
Water Conservation in Utah
Center for Water Efficient Landscaping Research on irrigation techniques, low-water use
landscaping, and plant water needs. Outreach education through USU Extension to Blue and
Green industries, and the public in water-efficient landscaping.
Extensive collaboration with water agencies and others.
Masters of Professional Studies in Horticulture
Ideal water conserving plants? Attractive color
Ideal water conserving plants?
Attractive color
Marketable form
Ideal water conserving plants?
Attractive color
Marketable form
Adapted to nursery production
Ideal water conserving plants?
Attractive color
Marketable form
Adapted to nursery production
Tolerances Soil Pests Cold Drought
Natural History of Bigtooth Maple
Shrub-form
Tree-form
Dry
Wet
Taxonomically related to sugar maple (complete with maple syrup).
September 10
September 29
October 23
Six weeks from first color to last color
Genetic diversity creates the potential for selection of superior clones.
Bigtooth maple has potentialas a water conserving, small landscape tree.
‘Native’ is not a panacea and does not mean pest free
Commercial Release
USU-ACGR-1001
The Plan1. Select superior wild maples for potential
introduction to the landscape industry
2. Propagate the maples1. Effectiveness
2. Efficiency
3. Evaluate maples in a landscape environment
4. Release selections for nursery production
5. Introduce to the landscape industry
How do you pick the best maples?
Plant Collectors & Growers
• Jerry Morris• Phil Barker• Tom Laub• Ron Zollinger• Chad Reid
Satellite images from Google Earth™ (USU-ACGR-1009)
Aerial digital color photography
Digital Camera (time of picture)GPS (tracking time)GeoSetter Software (synchronizes )
Map function shows track and picturelocation on track.
Track and pictures can be exported to Google Earth™
Close-up Google Earth™ image of the vicinity where photograph was taken.
Comparison of Google Earth™ image and original photograph.
Location of tree with latitude and longitude as found on Google Earth™ image.
Finding the tree on the ground
•Handheld GPS mapping navigator•Photographic and Google Earth™ images of search area
What couldn’t we have done 20 years ago?
• Digital camera• Multiple pictures• Instant review• Extensive data on image file• (Now geotagged photographs)
• GPS
• Google Earth™• Find coordinates
• GeoSetter Software• Combine GPS track and pictures
Current Collection
• Columnar, oval, and round forms
• Single-trunk tree forms
• Various sources (Wellsville and Bear River Ranges, Parowan Canyon, Price Canyon, Fillmore)
• Currently some 40 selections
Bigtooth maple propagation
Seed Propagation
Seed Propagation
Seeds must be fully ripened (late October)
Keep collected seed cool and dry
Stratify seed in a plastic bag with moist vermiculite at 36°F until seed starts to germinate
Transplant germinated seed as radicle emerges
Grow in shaded environment
Vegetative Propagation of Bigtooth Maple
Part 1. Establishing wild clones in the nursery
Part 1. Establishing wild clones in the nursery
• Collect budwood from wild trees• Remove leaf blades and store cool and
moist• Chip bud on to vigorously growing
rootstocks (either A. grandidentatum or A. saccharum)
Successful (left) and failed bud-take (right). The bud shield successfully took in the graft on the right, but the bud itself failed.
Optimum Budding Period
11-Jun 25-Jun 9-Jul 23-Jul 6-Aug 20-Aug 3-Sep0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Effect of Budding date on Budding Success for 2006, 2007, & 2009
2006
2007
2009
Date
Per
cent
age
of s
ucce
ssfu
l bud
s
Vegetative Propagation of Bigtooth Maple
Part 2. Commercial propagation for Utah growers
Vegetative Propagation of Bigtooth Maple
Commercial propagation by budding (J. Frank Schmidt Nursery)
Cutting Propagation
Etiolation of softwood cuttings
Diagram of technique using velour bag to etiolate new shoots.
Pruning cut
Harvest cut
Velour bag
Buds of shootsto be etiolated
Shoot stub to support bag
Etiolated shootsNormal light-grown shoots
Mist bench
Cutting propagation with rooting hormone, mist bench, bottomheat and reverse osmosis water
Etiolated Cuttings Non-etiolated Cuttings
USU-ACGR-1001
USU-ACGR-1002
USU-ACGR-1003
USU-ACGR-1004
USU-ACGR-1005
USU-ACGR-1009
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Effect of Etiolation on Percentage of Rooted Cuttings
Tree selection
Per
cent
age
of r
oote
d cu
ttin
gs
USU-ACGR-1001
USU-ACGR-1002
USU-ACGR-1003
USU-ACGR-1004
USU-ACGR-1005
USU-ACGR-1009
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Effect of Etiolation on Average Number of Roots per Cutting
Tree selection
Ave
rage
num
ber
of r
oots
per
cut
ting
Natural layering propagation
Mound Layering
Vegetative Propagation of Bigtooth Maple
Commercial propagation by layering
Development of a mound-layer bed using own-rooted maple cuttings.
Control Auxin Girdle Auxin & Girdle
0
20
40
60
80
100
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
cb
b
a
The effect of auxin and girdling treatments on rooting of bigtooth
maple layers (2011)
Percent Rooting
Treatments
Ro
oti
ng
Su
cc
es
s (
pe
rce
nt)
Mo
de
led
Pro
ba
bil
ity
of
Ro
oti
ng
Control Auxin Girdle Auxin & Girdle
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
c bc b
a
Effect of auxin and girdling on number of roots per shoot with bigtooth maple
layers (2011)Actual Root ...
Treatments
Me
an
Ro
ots
pe
r S
ho
ot
Es
tim
ate
d R
oo
ts p
er
Sh
oo
t b
y
Mo
de
l
Control Auxin Girdle Auxin & Girdle0
20
40
60
80
100
The effect of auxin and girdling treatments on rooting of big-
tooth maple layers (2013)
Treatments
Ro
oti
ng
Su
cce
ss (
pe
rce
nt)
Landscape Evaluation
J.Frank Schmidt NurseryUSU-ACGR-1004
Summary
Superior bigtooth maple selections have been identified
Propagation can be done by budding, cuttings, and layering
Continued research is needed to improve efficiency of cutting and layering propagation
Of the Utah maples, USU-ACGR-1005 appears to be the best selection
Melody ReedBill VargaGraham HunterChristopher NealePhil Rasmussen
Melody ReedBill VargaGraham HunterChristopher NealePhil Rasmussen
Richard AndersonHang DuongXiuyuan LiLina WangGarrett Davis
J. Frank Schmidt Family FoundationUSU Extension Applied Research GrantsUtah Botanical CenterUSDA – Utah Dept of Ag and Food Specialty Crop Block Grants
Acknowledgments
Year 1. Select and locate tree in autumn
Year 2. Summer bud selection onto rootstock
Year 3. If bud takes, then grow on
Year 4. Root softwood cuttings and overwinter
Year 5. Plant rooted cuttings to layering bed
Year 6. Grow to size for layering
Year 7. Root layers and overwintering
Year 8. Distribution rooted layers to growers
Bud failure? If so, repeat
Cutting failure? If so, repeat
Layer failure? If so, repeat
Simultaneous long term landscape evaluation