PRODUCTION OF CITRUS PROPAGATION MATERIALS AT NURA ERA STATE FARM: PROGRESS REPORT

The absence of modern plant propagation centre (PPC) was one of the limiting factors for the expansion of fruit trees in the country. When the current Ten-Year Horticultural Development Plan was envisaged the establishment of PPC was given first priority. Nura Era State Farm was selected as the first site for PPC and during the first year of the programme it was planned to produce rootstocks and scion varieties that can cover 350 hectares out of the 7 290 hectares targeted for the ten-year period. Eight rootstock varieties were imported and there has been successful operation from sowing to budding. Much improvement has been observed on the budder's performance, in consequence of which the average percentage of union gradually increased from 25% to 82% during four budding operations. Rootstocks easily adapted to Nura Era conditions and suitable for budding are identified which would facilitate better selections for future plantation programme.