Survival Rate of Willow Depending on the Storage Methods of Planting Material

Abstract

The paper presents the research results of the survival rate of willow planting material depending on the storage methods and varietal peculiarities. The studies of the storage methods of planting material and their effect on the survival rate of cuttings and shoots were carried out in the years of 2019–2021 in the experimental field of the Institute of bio-energy crops and sugar beets, Ukraine. Two willow (Salix spp.) species: three-stamina variety Panfilivska and common willow variety Zbruch, were studied. Rot-affected cuttings and shoots as well as the number of the sprouted ones were monitored during the period of their placing in the storage till their planting in the field. It was found that both cuttings and shoots stored well in all treatments. During the storage, a small number of sprouted cuttings and disease affected ones were recorded. Rot-affected cuttings and shoots of both varieties were recorded only when they were stored in plastic bags both with and without lime treatment of incisions. Rotaffected planting material was not recorded when other storage methods were used. It was established that during the storage moisture losses in cuttings and shoots of both varieties were not seen on any record date and as far as the content of nutrition elements (NPK) is concerned, there was a decreasing tendency. It was found that the survival rate of planting material depended on both variety peculiarities and its species, and it was high even on the first record date. Common willow variety Zbruch had the highest percentage of survival rate of cuttings and shoots as compared with the three-stamina variety Panfilivska. All storage methods of cuttings and shoots at air temperature 3–5°C ensure their good shelf-life with small damages caused by disease and slight germination in some years. The survival rate of planting material depended on both varietal peculiarities and its species. The highest percentage of survival rate of cuttings and shoots was typical for common willow variety Zbruch as compared with three-stamina variety Panfilivska.