Production and Use of Epicormic Shoots for the Vegetative Propagation of Mature Oak

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Abstract
Partial girdling of Quercus robur at anytime of the year will stimulate the development of epicormic buds during the following growing season. Shoots can also be grown on isolated sections of trunk placed in moist, warm conditions in the nursery, those felled in summer form fewest shoots but shoot production may be stimulated by a chilling treatment. Gibberellic acid suppresses the development of buds into shoots. Logs from trees felled in autumn can be stored for several months before being used to produce shoots. Mean percentage rooting of cuttings taken from epicormic shoots at a number of sites varied from 9–65% whilst that for shoots taken from logs in the nursery ranged from 26–82%. Use of epicormic shoots from superior trees for establishing stock plants provides opportunities for their mass propagation.