Budding and grafting time and height as determining factors for bud take and successive plant growth in some temperate fruits

Abstract

Seasonal effect of different grafting and budding methods performed at three heights on pome, stone and nut fruits were studied under polyhoused condition. Chip budding at height of 8-10 cm and even 13-15 cm during February-March and July-August was highly successful for pome and stone fruits with graft/bud success rate of 86.9% to 95.9%. This was closely followed by wedge grafting (81.5% to 89.1%) and tongue grafting (79.4% to 86.55). In case of walnut, chip budding and wedge grafting during February-March at height of 8-10 cm (83.1%) and 13-15 cm (77.8%) gave higher graft success. T-budding at 8-10 cm height during July-August gave 84.6% to 89.5% success in different temperate fruit crops except walnut. Chip budding, done with active vegetative or dormant mature buds on active vegetative or dormant stocks, respectively, extended the regular budding/grafting season, even if, bud is not slipping in the dormancy period or started stock/scion sap flow in the spring.