Performance of sapota (Manilkara achras, Mill.) softwood grafts on precuring and different season

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at Horticulture Research Station, Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, College of Agriculture, and Bhubaneswar during 2016 - 2017. The treatment comprises of four grafting seasons (20th June, 20th July, 20th August and 20th September) and three scion precuring periods (0 days, 5 days and 10 days) have been tried in a Factorial Randomized Block Design with three replications. The results revealed that among the four grafting seasons, 20th July recorded the maximum growth of scion (2.64 cm and 4.69 cm at 60 and 120 DAG, respectively), incremental length of rootstock (0.63 cm), incremental diameter of scion (1.89 mm), number of leaves per graft (12.07) at 60 DAG, area of largest leaf (17.25 cm2). In respect to different scion precuring periods, maximum growth of scion (2.61 cm and 4.69 cm) at 60 and 120 DAG, respectively, incremental diameter of scion (1.87 mm), number of leaves per graft (11.53) at 60 DAG, area of largest leaf (13.48 cm2), were observed in 10 days precured scions. The combined effect of the above two factors had also significant influence on most of the parameters studied.