Propagation studies on the Saskatoon

Abstract

Considerable interest has been shown towards the development of the saskatoon, Amelanchier alnifolia Nuttal, into a major fruit crop and as an ornamental shrub for the Great Plains region of North America. In much of this region blueberries lack sufficient hardiness or the soil is too calcareous while the saskatoon is widely adapted. The collection and breeding of saskatoons dates back to 1918 at Beaverlodge, Alberta. Only very recently, however, have the problems facing the development of a commercial saskatoon crop been actively investigated. Of the many problems involved in such an endeavor perhaps the one which should have top priority is the production of uniform planting stock by an efficient method. In order to determine how best to satisfactorily propagate clonal stocks of saskatoon, a propagation study including cuttings and shield budding was conducted from May 1975 to September 1976 at the Department of Horticulture Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.