Why cuttings? Stem cuttings preserve the elite traits of the mother tree, shorten the cycle to harvest by 2–3 years versus seed, and produce uniform oil content across the stand.

Cutting selection

Take cuttings from elite mother trees 8–12 years old, 0.8–1.2 cm diameter, semi-hardwood mid-stem segments — never soft tip or hardened base.

Hormone treatment

  • IBA 2,000 ppm — basal dip for 5 seconds.
  • Substitute NAA 1,500 ppm in dry-season batches.
  • Insert 4 cm deep into a sand + coir (1:1) substrate.

Propagation house conditions

  1. Hold temperature at 26–30°C.
  2. Maintain RH above 85% via automated misting.
  3. Diffused light at 30%.

“At 60 days, rooting exceeds 75% where mother selection is rigorous — a very stable result for the sector.”
— GREAT 2 project report, Lào Cai 2025

Post-rooting management

Move rooted cuttings to a hardening bed for 90 days before field-ready dispatch. Apply foliar NPK 20-20-20 every 15 days to complete root development.

See related guides under Nursery.