Effect of hardwood cuttage on the propagation of blueberry [Vaccinium]

Blueberry is normally propagated by cuttage. In order to increase the rooting ratio of hardwood cutting, we examined the following: the propagation bed, heat treatment of the rooting medium, insertion depth, and length of cuttings. In the case of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.), the cuttings rooted in a mist spray house are superior to those rooted in a simple tunnel culture. Conversely, in the case of rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei Reade), a simple tunnel propagation bench is superior. The heat treatment of the rooting medium increases the rooting ability of both rabbiteye blueberry and highbush blueberry, which are difficult to propagate by cuttage in a mist spray house. In the case of rabbiteye blueberry, the shallow-insertion cuttings rooted significantly better than the deep-insertion ones in a mist spray house. Further, the short cuttings (length: 5 cm) of highbush blueberry rooted as well as the long cuttings (length: 10 cm), which are the common lengths. However, the short-cutting method cannot be applied to rabbiteye blueberry.