User:Kioane/sandbox

Here is my proposed addition for a "Propagation" section

Lychee can be propagated by many different methods. Propagation by seed is not recommended as it presents many challenges; chief among them being seedlings can take up ten years to bear fruit.

Lychee can be propagated using vegetative cuttings though this method is not widely practiced either. However success has been achieve with cuttings of 8-15mm in diameter and 15-20cm long. Cuttings can be rooted in a multitude of media such as organic matter, peat, sand and vermiculite. Applied auxins have been shown to increase rooting in stem cuttings. Cuttings should be kept in a greenhouse under conditions of high humidity, partial shade, air temperature of 20-25 C and a root temp. of 30-32 C. In approximately 15-20 months cuttings will be ready to transplant into the field.

The most common practice for propagating lychee is through air layering, or marcotting. Air Layers, or Marcotts are made by cincturing a branch of a mature tree, covering the cut with a rooting media, such as peat or sphagnum moss, then wrapping the media with polyethylene film and allowing the cut to root while still attached to the tree. It is important to remove the all of the cambial material surrounding the  central wood when cincturing. Upright branches of diameter 1-2cm and 30-80 cm in length are recommended. Some nurseries will cincture the branch 4 weeks before applying the air layer. Once significant rooting has occurred the marcott is cut from the branch and potted up. It is a good practice to then remove 50-75% of the leaves. Marcotts are then kept in a nursery in the same conditions as stem cuttings and finally transplanted into the field 2-18 months later.