Re: First Macropropagation experiments - Sddarkman619
 

Excellent writeup and pictures Sddarkman619.

What is your conclusion now after all your testing? Did you have better results using Coco noir than the sawdust?

I want to try this method as well. This last week I became incredibly fascinated with this method. After refining this method, I heard that you can get ~64 plants from one corm.

Thanks!

mcfly

Re: First Macropropagation experiments - Sddarkman619
 

Sddarkman619,

When you pared down the corm, did you cut an 'x' on each bud that you saw? I heard that helps to get more sprouts from that location.

mcfly

Re: First Macropropagation experiments - Sddarkman619
 

I did have a nice outcome with the coco coir, much better than saw dust or rice hulls. For me at least.
Yes you have to basically kill/damage the bud down to it's merristem in order to get it to put pups out rather than 1 pseudostem.
I have now started using a drill bit instead. seeing how that works.

Re: First Macropropagation experiments - Sddarkman619
 

Most propagation manuals will say to kill or damage the Growing Point in order to remove apical dominance. That's mainly because plants are plentiful and inexpensive and the technique is quick and easy, but obviously the Growing Point can be removed without killing it and that will also remove apical dominance from the remaining rhizome.

Here's a variegated banana that is being used for macropropagation. After the Growing Point was removed it was replanted to start process over again. This probably can go on for eternity using the same growing point.

Re: First Macropropagation experiments - Sddarkman619
 

Hi PR-Giants,

Thanks for your reply as well. I read that on top of removing/killing the main growth point, for maximum output, to identify growth points on the sides of the pared corn and slicing an ‘x’ on each one to obtain multiple growths out of each individual growth point. Not too deep as you don’t want to kill that growth point. However, I have not seen any close up pics to identify those growth points. It was referred to it as the PIF technique.

Then as the pups start shooting off, the bigger ones you are supposedly able to cut off (killing) and then you x in that growth point to get more pups from there. Like you mentioned, this process could go on for eternity.

Do you have a picture of your prepared corn, all pared down and ready to go? I am going to try with and expendable Basjoo I have in order to test the methods discussed.

Mcfly

Re: First Macropropagation experiments - Sddarkman619
 

Watch this video:

Macropropagation from ProMusa Video Bank on Vimeo.

Re: First Macropropagation experiments - Sddarkman619
 

excellent video. makes you want to try it. :08:

Re: First Macropropagation experiments - Sddarkman619
 

There are many different techniques and understanding the basics will help in choosing what works best in each situation.

One plant can produce thousands of new plantlets but for us maximum output is less desirable than speed.

The variegated rhizome in the top photo will basically activate each those buds in a specific order and allow us to remove a large pup about every 6 days. This is the advantage of having it focus it's resources on just a few buds at a time.

The bottom photo is what happens by mutilating one of those buds.

My first post was to point out that the main plant can be removed and replanted instead of killing it.

I prefer to use clean coarse sand as the medium because it'll last forever, it drains well, has great aeration, and it's easy to keep the humidity perfect.

There are many options with macropropagation and understanding how apical dominance changes is interesting and useful.

Re: First Macropropagation experiments - Sddarkman619
 

Yes, this is one of the videos I saw. Great video. Great solution for that part of the world too. It really solved a problem.

Re: First Macropropagation experiments - Sddarkman619
 

Great info PR-Giants. Thanks for the pics too. I just need to get this started. Perhaps sometime during this three day weekend I'll have some time.

I don't have much in the way of a controlled environment ie no greenhouse but I have some areas that get less sun. A rubbermaid bin (or other) with some holes in the bottom, bedding cloth, then I'll try once with Coco coir and one with course sand. Place a plastic sheet on top and give it a run.

Re: First Macropropagation experiments - Sddarkman619
 

I think I will try this as well....... I will make a new thread of I do it:08::08: