PSS 138 - Commercial Plant Propagation

Spring 2008

Tentative Lab Schedule

Tuesday

Date Lab # Topic

January 15 Lecture on structures, environment and propagation media

January 22 1 Greenhouse use and UVM greenhouse orientation, sanitation,

mycorrhizal additives and pea inoculation labs

January 29 2 Seed production/pollination/viability/polyembryony__________________

February 5 3 Seed pretreatment (stratification/scarification)

February 12 4 Hardwood cuttings (Lab #2 DUE)

February 19 5 Herbaceous cuttings, air layering

February 26 6 Specialized stem & root propagation (bulbs, rhizomes and stolons)

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March 4 Town Meeting Day (Lab #3 DUE)

March 11 No Lab, Spring Break

March 18 7 Micropropagation of Venus fly trap and sundew by axillary shoot

proliferation, African violet by adventitious shoot initiation and amaryllis

by aseptically germinated seed. Harvest peas. (Lab #6 DUE)

March 25 Harvest deciduous woody and herbaceous cuttings, pot up tree seedlings

(Lab #7 DUE)

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April 1 8 Bench grafting: Apple, elm and spruce. Transfer African violets.

(Lab #5 DUE)

April 8 9 Bench grafting: Side-veneer (tomato), cleft (tomato-potato) &

T-budding (citrus). (Lab #1 DUE)

April 15 Harvest evergreen cuttings, transplant African violets, pot pineapples,

check air layers and bulb scales. Transfer Venus fly traps and sundews to

Terrarium. (Lab #8 & 9 DUE)

April 22 10 Tour Claussen’s greenhouse (local commercial operation). (Lab #4 DUE)

*** all plants must be removed from the greenhouses by the Final Exam (May 6^th).