Juniper formations are valuable habitats for fauna and flora and play an important role in protecting the ecosystem, where they grow, from erosion and degradation. Juniper habitats are included in the European Directive 92/43. Juniperus phoenicea is of great ecological importance in Mediterranean areas, as it is often among the only species that can survive under extremely unfavorable conditions. Along with other species, it forms the habitat 2250* “Coastal dunes with Juniperus spp.” Habitat 2250* is a priority habitat, and today, it is under threat due to several factors such as coastal erosion, forest fires, etc. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to investigate the factors that affect the rooting of J. phoenicea shoot cuttings collected from plants growing in their natural habitat. Specifically, the effects of the cutting collection season and the different concentrations (0, 3, 6, and 12 g·L⁻¹) of the plant growth regulator K-IBA (indole-3-butyric acid potassium salt) on the rooting of J. phoenicea shoot cuttings in two propagation systems (mist and fog) were investigated. The shoot cuttings of J. phoenicea rooted in high percentages reaching more than 90%. The factors studied played an important role, and significant differences in the rooting ability of cuttings were found, as well as in the number and length of roots. For the optimal results, cuttings should be collected in winter and treated with 6 g·L⁻¹ K-IBA under a mist system or in summer with 3 g·L⁻¹ K-IBA under a fog system. The results of the present study can be used to make up a basic step for conservation and restoration efforts and for sustainable exploitation strategies for this valuable phytogenetic resource.

The present research aims at investigating the combined effects of warm stratification (WS)+cold stratification (CS), and gibberellic acid (GA₃)+cold stratification (CS) on breaking dormancy and germination in seeds of Ostrya carpinifolia. The seeds were subjected to WS (20-25 ºC) for 0, 1 and 2 months and were subsequently cold stratified at 3-5 ºC for 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 months (1st experiment). A further amount of seeds was treated with 500, 1000 or 2000 ppm GA₃ for 30 hours and then cold stratified at 3-5 ºC for 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 months (2nd experiment). No germination was observed in the seeds subjected to only WS (1 and 2 months) or CS for 1 month indicating that the seeds of O. carpinifolia are dormant . A 4-month stratification (1 month WS+3 month CS or 4 month CS) fully released dormancy and led to a high germination percentage (94.17 and 98.34% respectively) in a short time (7.12 and 7.00 days respectively). Warm stratification treatment prior to CS, was not required in order to break the seed dormancy of O. carpinifolia and also did not reduce the length of the (total) stratification period required for breaking seed dormancy. Gibberellic acid (GA₃) application entirely replaced the CS period required for breaking seed dormancy. The germination of the seeds treated only with 2000 ppm GA₃ (0 months of CS) was (94.17%) as high as the germination of the seeds subjected to 4 months of CS (98.34%). It is obvious that the seedcoat of O. carpinifolia seeds was permeable to GA₃ and did not mechanically restrict embryo growth, thus, the seeds did not exhibit physical dormancy. Based on dormancy breaking requirements, the O. carpinifolia seeds displayed intermediate physiological dormancy.