25th International EUCARPIA Symposium Section on Ornamentals - Crossing Borders, Melle, Belgium, 28 June - 02 July 2015, vol.1087, pp.281-288
The global climate change, a developing environmental consciousness and changing consumer trends together with high adopted xeriscape approach in landscaping lead to an increasing use of native plants worldwide. Turkey has very rich plant genetic resources, some of these have potential as ornamental plant for landscape use. Their domestication is especially important for the assessment and exploitation of the underused genetic resources. This study was conducted in Bati Akdeniz Agricultural Research Institute in Antalya, Turkey. We aimed to propagate vegetatively 22 native plant species including herbaceous plants, climbers, shrubs and trees. Some of the species are endemic. Mainly adventitious rooting via stem cuttings was used for the propagation of the different species: Acer sempervirens, Amelanchier parviflora, Ampelopsis orientale, Arbutus andrachne, Cionura erecta, Clematis cirrhosa, C. vitalba, Daphne sericea, D. oleoides, Erica bocquetii, E. manipuliflora, E. sicula subsp. libanotica, Melissa officinalis, Myrtus communis, Ostrya carpinifolia, Pistacia terebinthus, Pyrus serikensis, Sedum sediforme, Sorbus umbellata var. umbellata, Tamarix tetrandra and Vitex agnus-castus. Additionally, stock division (for Carex pendula) and radial layering (for A. orientale and C. cirrhosa) were applied. The stem cuttings were inserted in perlite, peat, peat: perlite (1:1), sand, sand: peat: perlite (1:1:1) or cocopite: sand (5:1) mixtures and mostly commercial powdered rooting hormone was applied. Fifteen of the 22 plant species were successfully rooted with a ratio ranging from 5 to 100%. The cuttings of A. orientale, C. erecta, C. cirrhosa, M. officinalis and S. sediforme were rooted for 100%. C. pendula was very regenerative for producing sister plants. Propagation results of this initial work were found very promising for the cultivation and domestication of most of the targeted plant species. It might be possible to increase the propagation ratios by using different substrates and hormone applications especially for difficult to propagate species.