Comparative evaluation of grafting and budding methods in jackfruit

Abstract

Inarching is the most widely practiced vegetative propagation method for multiplying jackfruit in the Tarai region. Still, the technique could be more convenient and produce more plants from a single mother plant. Therefore, the present experiment was conducted to find another alternative method for the commercial propagation of jackfruit. The study was conducted for twelve months with five methods of propagation, viz., inarching, wedge grafting, veneer grafting, patch budding, and ring budding. Earliest bud sprouting (18.08 days) with the highest survival (74.38%), the number of leaves (14.21), and the girth of new growth (5.93 mm) were recorded with wedge grafting performed in March. The highest number of primary branches (3.47) and length of primary root (15.36 cm) and secondary roots (32.84 cm) were obtained in plants multiplied through inarching in July. The maximum size of new growth (14.49 cm) at 90 days after grafting (DAG) was observed in wedge grafting performed in April. Based on the results, wedge grafting is the most appropriate propagation method to perform from December to April (best in March) under the tarai conditions of Uttarakhand. Therefore, wedge grafting can be practiced as an effective alternative method for jackfruit propagation instead of traditional inarching as the highest proportion of saleable grafted plants (77.56%) were also obtained through wedge grafting at 150 DAG.