Time of collection and cutting sizes affect vegetative propagation of Boswellia papyrifera (Del.) Hochst through leafless branch cuttings

Boswellia papyrifera (Del) Hochst is a key dry land plant species in the Horn of Africa with high socio-economic significance in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Sudan. In recent decades, populations of this species are declining due to lack of recruitment through natural regeneration. This study investigated the potential of vegetative propagation using leafless branch cuttings as an alternative means of reproduction for the species. The effect of time of collection and cutting sizes (length and thickness) on shooting and rooting of the cuttings was investigated. The effects of these three factors were analysed, two-by-two, in three separate factorial experiments each arranged in a randomized complete block design. Time of collection affected cutting performance: shooting percent, shoot number, cutting vigour, leaf number, leaf length, rooting percent and root length were best when cuttings were collected in February–March, and weakest in May. Medium to long cuttings (1.0 m–2.0 m) and thicker cuttings (0.19–0.27 m) performed better than shorter or thinner cuttings. These results indicate that B. papyrifera is amenable to macro-propagation via leafless branch cuttings. Reproduction of B. papyrifera through macro-propagation may help overcome the population recruitment bottleneck of this important species and will help the long-term yield possibilities of its precious product frankincense.