SOFTWOOD GRAFTING AS USEFUL METHOD OF PROPAGATION FOR COMMERCIAL MULTIPLICATION OF SYZYGIUM CUMINI L. UNDER SEMI-ARID CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF INDIA

Jamun (Syzygium cumini L.), a large evergreen tree belonging to the family Myrtaceae, has potential to grow and become productive under harsh climatic and edaphic conditions of dry land areas, where many other fruit crops fail to grow and become productive. It is therefore essential to identify promising and elite types of important but unexploited dry land fruit crops like jamun and popularize them by multiplication of this crop through vegetative means. Hence, it is imperative to standardize a method of rapid vegetative multiplication. Considering this research need, the present study of “Propagation studies in Jamun” was carried out at the College of Horticulture, PDKV, Akola, Maharashtra, India, in which two methods of propagation i.e., softwood grafting and patch budding were carried out throughout the year, from January 2005 to December 2007. The pooled means of the investigation revealed that the softwood grafting carried out during March showed significantly higher graft success followed by softwood grafting in September whereas patch budding showed the least survival percentage. These results were found very promising and encouraging, since the grafts become ready for transplanting within one year i.e., sowing of seed in June-July and 9-month-old seedlings are utilized as rootstock for softwood grafting in March and these grafts were ready for transplanting or sale in June-July. By this technology of vegetative propagation, the propagules will be ready for transplanting in one year with minimum nursery charges so the farmers get the true-to-type propagules in very affordable rates and in short duration.