Subject: Re: Tissue culture propagation

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 1997 08:02:16 -0500 (EST)

In a message dated 10/28/97 4:27:47 AM, [email-masked] wrote:

>The results from tissue culture are inconclusive as yet although as time
>passes I get more clustering of hints that there is something missing from
>the cloning which comes home in due time. There are reports that cloned
trees
>may not have the same structural qualities as non-cloned. 
>
>To make evaluations effectively and convincingly is probably one of those
>areas where one would need significant funds and extensive sets of equipment
>to get a reasonable perspective. I notice that funds and equipment are not
>common among permaculture people, however.
>
>Why not just go out among the cloned varieties and ask them what they think?
>Not as wild an idea as most will suspect.
>
>Milo Clark
>Berkeley CA USA

Most vegetative propagation results in a root system that varies from that of
a plant propagated from seed.  Roots tend to be shallower and more like the
strands on a broom than a structured assembly.  There may be exceptions.
 This may be seen with white Dutch clover, for example.  The tap root goes
down as the mature radical--seed sprout, and goes quite deep.  Adventitious
roots don't seem to form a tap root when the clover is transplanted.  (Clonal
propagation of white clover is common in places such as Mexico where people
what to practice Fukuoka methods but cannot afford the seed, which is
expensive even by American standards.  As I think about it, I wonder if a
root sprout is more like the original plant than an adventitious rooted
plant.  I'm thinking of black locusts and comfrey, both of which put down
lusty root systems from root sprouts.

I'd not heard the question asked before--another enrichment in our
opportunities for observation.  it should be easy to do this with rootstocks,
for example comparing seedling bradford pears with stooled shoots.  

For Mother Earth, Dan Hemenway, Yankee Permaculture Publications (since
1982), Elfin Permaculture workshops, lectures, Permaculture Design Courses,
consulting and permaculture designs (since 1981), and now correspondence
courses via email.  Next live training:  Paraguay, Sept. 1998. Internships
available. Copyright, 1997, Dan & Cynthia Hemenway, P.O. Box 52, Sparr FL
32192 USA  [email-masked]  

We don't have time to rush.