Effect of Softwood Grafting of Members of Sapotaceae Family on Khirni (Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dubard) Rootstock

Abstract

The experiment on the effect of softwood grafting of members of the Sapotaceae family on Khirni (Manilkara hexandra (Roxb.) Dubard) rootstock was carried out in 2023 at the Fruit Genetic Diversity Park, College of Horticulture, Bengaluru. The experiment was laid out with a completely randomized design having four treatments and five replications. Observations on per cent graft success, survivability, number of days taken for first sprouting, number of leaves, number of sprouts per graft, girth of the sprouts and graft union and the internodal length were recorded at monthly intervals. Khirni was used as a common rootstock for four different members of the Sapotaceae family viz., milk fruit (T1), egg fruit (T2), miracle fruit (T3) and sapota (T4). Higher grafting success and survivability percentages (75% and 72%, respectively), minimum days taken for first sprouting (14.50 days), girth and length of the sprouts (7.24 mm and 5.44 cm, respectively) were observed on sapota. Highest success percentage (75%), maximum number of leaves(18.0), sprouts per graft (5.00) and highest internodal length (1.28 cm) were observed in miracle fruit(Please mentioned the species) at 30, 60 and 90 days after grafting, compared to other members like egg fruit (Please mentioned the species ) and milk fruit.