With the aim of identifying improved propagation techniques that can be applied in a
larger scale plantation, six types of vegetative propagation materials obtained from
three A. alpina landraces (TIFRO, WELELE and WONDE) were evaluated for their
performance under field condition in the Choke Mountain, northwestern Ethiopia. The
three techniques namely stump, rhizome and whole-culm had fastest shoot emergence
(21-22 days) and superior performance during the four Months period After
Establishment (MAE).Shoot height was 262, 233 and 193 cm for stump, rhizome and
whole-culm with respective to diameter at breast height of 1.0, 1.1 and 1.5 cm 4 MAE,
respectively. The whole-culm method also produced the maximum number of shoots
(10 new shoots per propagule), along its stem length (at the upper, middle and butt
positions excluding its lower one-third portion) but branch cuttings and culm cuttings
had slow shoot emergence (average 30 days) and very poor performance. In general,
TIFRO and WELELE landraces had faster shoot emergence (21-23 days) and
significantly higher number of new shoots than WONDE landrace. Shoot emergence of
the offset (traditional) method was delayed up to the next shooting season (11 MAE)
but its performance, including survival rate of the propagules (85%), was superior at
that season. New shoots from stump, rhizome and whole-culm were found to be prone
(survival rate 17-26%) primarily to strong wind and storm and most probably
moisture fluctuations under field condition after four months period hence further
research on silvicultural practices that can maximize their persistence is required.
