RECENT ADVANCES IN THE PROPAGATION OF SOME TROPICAL AND SUBTROPICAL FRUIT SPECIES IN PERU

Research conducted during the last years has allowed to improve the propagation of certain species. In avocado and lucuma(Lucuma obovata H.B.K.) spraying - the seedlings 3 times, starting when they reached 15 cm. with 250 ppm of Gibberelic Acid at 3 week intervals, gave a marked saving in the time needed to obtain a graftable plant under the Lima conditions. A 24 h. seed soak in -- 1 000, 100 and 100 ppm GA respectively significantly improved germination rate and seedling growth in cherimoya, lucuma and mamey (Mammea americana L.) this was further enhanced by eliminating seed coats in the last 2 species.

Using terminal leafy cuttings under mist as high as 80% rooting was obtained in lucuma with 4 000 to 8 000 ppm NAA, and even better results in yellow passion fruit under mist or sweat box, with or without NAA treatment. While in cherimoya 25% rooting was obtained with 5 000 ppm NAA using juvenile material, but no results were obtained with adult material.