C-ID Descriptor
Plant Propagation / Production

1. Wholesale plant production operations
2. Introduction to plant environmental requirements
   1. light
   2. Temperature
   3. Water
   4. Air
   5. Anchorage
   6. Minerals
   7. Photoperiodism and its effect on plant growth
3. General aspects of plant propagation
   1. Objectives in the study of plant propagation
   2. Methods of propagating plants
   3. Basic types of reproduction
4. Use and maintenance of common propagation and nursery tools and equipment
5. Sexual propagation
   1. Principles of sexual propagation and hybridization
      1. Production of flowers
      2. Production of the embryo
      3. Apomixes
      4. Fruit and seed development
      5. The mature seed
   2. The relationship of plant breeding to nursery practices
   3. Seed germination requirements and practice
   4. Seed collection and processing
   5. Discussion of various seed treatment processes
      1. Scarification
      2. Stratification
      3. Heat treatment
   6. Transplanting of seedlings
   7. Plug production
6. Asexual propagation
   1. Importance and reasons for using asexual propagation
   2. The clone
   3. The plant patent law
   4. Different types of asexual propagation
7. Cuttings
   1. Requirements of cutting propagation
      1. Moisture
      2. Temperature
      3. Media
      4. Hormones
      5. Disease prevention
      6. Mother stock
   2. Types of cuttings
      1. Hardwood, semi-hardwood, softwood, and herbaceous cuttings
      2. Stem (tip, straight, heel, mallet, cane), leaf (segments, leaf bud, leaf vein, leaf petiole), root cuttings
   3. Hardening off of cuttings
   4. Potting and canning cuttings
   5. Seasonal timing and programming of cutting production
8. Grafting and Budding
   1. Theoretical aspects
      1. Reasons for Grafting and Budding
      2. Formation of the graft union
      3. Healing of the graft or bud
      4. Polarity in grafting
      5. Grafting incompatibility (rootstock selection, interstock)
      6. Rootstock - scion relationships
   2. Techniques of Grafting
      1. Methods
      2. Tools and materials
      3. Selection and storage of scion wood
      4. Grafting classified according to placement
      5. Aftercare of grafted trees
   3. Techniques of Budding
      1. Methods
      2. Seasonal timing
      3. Wrapping buds
   4. Rootstock selection
      1. Fruiting species
      2. Ornamental species
9. Other common propagation methods
   1. Layering
   2. Division
10. Micropropagation/tissue culture
11. Cultural considerations of plant production
    1. Planting media formulation and usage
    2. Fertilizing and watering of plant stock
    3. Planting and transplanting nursery stock in a variety of containers
    4. Pruning, Pinching, Disbudding
    5. Chemical growth regulation
    6. Controlling insect and disease pests of nursery stock
    7. Preparation of nursery stock for sale
    8. Purchasing nursery stock for growing on or reselling
    9. Labeling/growing standards for retail sales and ads
12. Propagation and growing structures
    1. The greenhouse environment
    2. Cold frames and hot beds
    3. Shade structures and growing blocks

Laboratory Activities may include but are not limited to: 

1. Seed Propagation of Annual Plants
2. Transplanting Plugs
3. Budding- Utilizing T-Budding and Chip Budding Techniques
4. Soil Mixes for Propagation, and Sanitation of Equipment, Containers and Facilities
5. Propagation by Division
6. Propagation by Separation
7. Making Herbaceous Cuttings
8. Propagation of Evergreen Species by Using Softwood and Semi-Hardwood Cuttings
9. Seed Scarification and Stratification
10. Techniques of grafting and budding
11. Layering- Ground and Air Layering
12. Propagation of Deciduous Species by Using Hardwood Cuttings
13. Propagation of Ornamental Trees/fruit trees by Seed
14. Crop scheduling
15. Fertilizers

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

Explain the effect of temperature, water, humidity, and fertility on plant growth

• Describe the principles of plant reproduction, sexual and asexual
• Demonstrate the ability to grow plants from propagation to salable size by showing a mastery of the following skills: including:
  1. Demonstrating plant propagating methods including seed, cuttings, budding, grafting, layering, division, micro-propagation (tissue culture);
  2. Determine the proper timing for the various propagation and production techniques appropriate to the plant specie and propagation method;
  3. Formulating planting and propagating media as specified in a recipe;
  4. Measuring and mixing fertilizers and applying them following label directions;
  5. Planting and transplanting a variety of plants into appropriate containers.
• Exhibit the personal skills (attitude, work habits, etc.) for successful employment in the wholesale nursery business
• Discuss control procedures for at least ten common garden, landscape or crop and greenhouse pests.
• Identify, use, and maintain common propagation and nursery tools and   equipment
• Plan and design a nursery layout given a set of parameters 
• Develop a presentation of, and provide a demonstration of a selected propagation method.
• Describe the various types of wholesale plant production industries locally and in California

Lecture

Comprehensive Quizzes and Exam
Written Critical Thinking Scenarios
Problem Analysis and Solution
Research and Term Papers

Laboratory

Laboratory Skill Validation by Observation
Laboratory Projects and Reports
Laboratory Research Projects and Reports
Laboratory Skill Practicum Exams

Hartmann, H.T., Kester, D.E., Davies, F.T., Geneve, R., Plant Propagation: Principles and Practices

Paul, N.V., Greenhouse Operation and Management,  Prentice-Hall, NJ

Reference:

Boodley, J.W., The Commercial Greenhouse, Delmar Publishers

Clarke and Toogood, The Complete Book of Plant Propagation, Sterling Publications,

Wilkins, H., Floriculture:  Principles and Species, Prentice-Hall, NJ,

Website: ipm.ucdavis.edu, provides data on plant diseases and pests

Note:  Many introductory horticulture texts have chapters/sections dealing with propagation and the production of plant materials.  Texts listed under the Introduction to Environmental Horticulture course are examples of these references.  In addition, there are a large number of other specific references dealing with the propagation of individual or related groups/genera of plants.