Vigour of in-situ softwood mango grafts in relation to defoliation period and storage of scion shoots.
Dod V. N., Bharad S. G., Pagar P. C.
Author Affiliation: Dept. of Horticulture, Dr. P.D.K.V., Akola-444 104, India.
Recent Horticulture 4 : 4-5
Abstract : Scion shoots were selected from 3- to 6-month-old (4-6 mm thick) healthy terminal shoots of 1-year-old mango plants. Stored and freshly-detached shoots were in situ-grafted by the softwood method during August-September 1987. Freshly-detached shoots were removed from trees at 0, 5, 7, 10 or 15 days after defoliation. Stored shoots were removed from the plant 5 days after defoliation, treated with 0.05% bavistin solution and the cut ends were dipped in paraffin wax. They were then wrapped in sphagnum moss and kept in perforated polyethylene sheets at room temperature for 3, 5, 7 or 10 days before grafting. Shoot length (17.95 cm), number of leaves/shoot (29.75) and grafting success (90%) after 6 months were all highest when scion shoots removed 10 days after defoliation were used. The best storage period for scion shoots was 3 days (83.45% graft success after 6 months).