The existing clonal facility of the Southern Luzon State University (SLSU) was used to produce high quality planting materials by adopting a scientific way of propagating and conserving indigenous tree species that are commonly used for reforestation initiatives and for other purposes (e.g. wood carving, furniture, handicrafts, etc.).
Vegetative propagation of batikuling utilizes lignified but juvenile stem cuttings while semi-hardwood stem cuttings for makaasim, both used stock plants collected from selected plus/mother trees with phenotypically superior characteristics found within the vicinity of Mt. Banahaw de Lucban. The procedures in rooting stem cuttings adopted ERDB (2010) with some modifications in the preparation of rooting media and sterilization (Batikuling: heating for 3 hours, use of orthotropic shoots (five-six nodal cuttings of at least 8-10 cm in length) with slanting cut, trimming leaves (at least 3 leaves) of stem cuttings into half the original sizes. Makaasim: heating for 3 hours, use of orthotropic shoots (3-4 nodal cuttings of at least 6-8 cm in length) with slanting cut, trimming leaves (at least 3 leaves) of stem cuttings into half the original sizes). Cuttings of both species were soaked in fungicide solution for 30 minutes to 1 hour, washed the stem cuttings in distilled water, scraped and soaked the basal portion of the cuttings into rooting hormone, used rooting media inoculated with mycorrhiza, watered by using mist system, and transplanted.
