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Tournefortia (argentea)

Pius Liyagel
State Forester
Yap Forestry
PO Box 1000
Yap Islands, Federated States of Micronesia 96941
www.wildflowerfarm.com

Family Scientific Name: Boraginaceae
Family Common Name: Borage Family
Scientific Name: Tournefortia argentea
Common Name: Chen
Species Code: TOUARG
Ecotype: Yap Islands
General Distribution: Chen is a common coastal strand plant found throughout Polynesia, Melanesia, Micronesia, tropical Australia and the Indian ocean region. It is introduced in Hawaii.
Propagation Goal: plants
Propagation Method: vegetative
ProductType: Container (plug)
Stock Type: 3L (1 gal) polybags
Time To Grow: 5 Months
Target Specifications: Height: 20 cm<br> Caliper: N/A<br> Root System: Firm Root Plug in container
Propagule Collection: Collect softwood stem cuttings when the leaves have expanded and the stems are firm. During collection, stem cuttings need to be kept moist and cool, and must be treated immediately after collection.
Pre-Planting Treatments: Each cutting must have several shoot buds. These are cut to 15 cm (6.0 in) lengths, and all mature leaves are removed except the terminal leaves. Leaf buds in the axils of leaves are not removed and will form new leaves once the cuttings are well rooted. Cuttings are directly stuck into containers filled with moistened medium. We do not use rooting hormones.
Growing Area Preparation/
Annual Practices for Perennial Crops:
The Yap Agroforestry nursery has a year round growing season with periods of high rainfall.
The facility is comprised of one large greenhouse, shade structures, and mist propagation beds, and an outdoor growing compound. All propagation environments are utilized at different stages of seedling growth to protect seedlings from heavy rains, and provide to temperature and shading variance during production. We irrigate all containers by hand, but are investigating a sub-irrigation system for the nursery. We use fertilizers if when they are available.
Establishment Phase: Cuttings begin to form roots about 4 weeks after sticking. We plant them in
polybags filled with a growing medium of 2:1:1 (v:v:v) sand, seaweed compost, and topsoil. Cuttings are kept evenly moist during establishment.
Length of Establishment Phase: 8 weeks
Active Growth Phase: Once cuttings are well rooted, new leaves from the axillary leaf buds begin to form. We keep cuttings in the shelterhouse during active growth to protect them from wind and heavy rains.
Length of Active Growth Phase: 8 weeks
Hardening Phase: Irrigation frequency and duration is gradually reduced for 4 to 8 weeks prior to outplanting.
Length of Hardening Phase: 4 weeks
Harvesting, Storage and Shipping: Containerized seedlings are stored in the open growing compound until moved to outplanting site.
Length of Storage: Variable; depends on outplanting date.

Citation:

Liyagel, Pius. 2005. Propagation protocol for production of Container (plug) Tournefortia argentea plants 3L (1 gal) polybags; Yap Forestry Yap Islands, Federated States of Micronesia. In: Native Plant Network. URL: https://NativePlantNetwork.org (accessed 2024/04/27). US Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Center for Reforestation, Nurseries, and Genetic Resources.