Research Article
Mechanical Bench Grafting for Apple Propagation
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Allah Bakhsh
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Zahid Hussain
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Shafique Ahmad
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Apple is considered as king of deciduous fruits. It can be grown in a wide range of soil and climate and its propagation is made through various methods. Apple plants produced through seed are not true to type like parent plants. Asexually produced plants are always true to type like that of scion Cv. Usually good quality plants are produced through budding and grafting. Bench grafting is more popular method of apple propagation which is widely used during early spring by plant propagators. It is highly technical laborious and time consuming method of propagation when performed manually.
Various kinds of machines are being used for efficient grafting. Labor and time is also saved along with efficient results. Efficiency of a mechanical cutter was standardized for apple propagation in these studies. A uniform and smooth mechanically made cut on the scion and stock surface makes the graft union more successful as compared with uneven grafting cut made by grafting knife used manually. L.B grafting tool, making a V. notch in root stock and corresponding long, tapered cut at the base of scion, was most successfully for grafting grapes and fruit trees (Alley, 1957). A machine powered by an electric motor having two sets of saw blades on a single shaft for cutting notches one in the base of scion and one in the top end of root stock worked more efficiently by saving time and labor cost with successful results of bench grafting in apple (Wahler, 1970). The stock scion relationships are important to the success of a graft. There must be a cambial contact of stock and scion union and growth of each was greatly aided by smooth cuts with a sharp knife (Denisen, 1979). A smooth and firm intimate cambial contact of scion and stock union enhances the healing process and results in successful grafting in peach (Hortmann and Bentel, 1979). The cut surface of scion and stock should be flat and smooth for better results in bench grafts made with the help of machines are more precise and efficient with very high rates of success (Chadha and Shikhamany, 1999). Mechanical grafting technique used for grape cultivars proved that the operation resulted in maximum grafting success and quality of grafted vines was also improved (Cangi et al., 1999).
These studies were carried out on Horticultural Research Station Nowshera (Soan valley) Khushab during the year 2000 and 2001 with the objective to evaluate the efficiency of mechanical for bench grafting in apple nursery. Pencil size crab apple (rootstock) plants were grafted with Anna cv. of apple through bench grafting method in last week January of respective year. Four treatments were repeated for five times in the experiment. In first treatment scion was prepared by mechanical means and stock was prepared manually. In second treatment, it was vice versa approach. Stock and scion were mechanically prepared in third treatment while stock and scion were manually prepared in the fourth treatment. Prepared scion piece was fitted firmly in prepared end of stock and graft wound was wrapped by 24 cm long jute thread (Seba). Grafted plants were planted in the nursery soil bed 15 cm apart in rows of 25 cm width. Plants were planted so deep that graft would was buried in the soil. Standardized nursery management practices were adopted during the growth period of the research material under observation. Hundred plants were included in each treatment and in this way two thousands plants were treated in the experiment. Only one budder was engaged for grafting operation. Time was noted at the start and end of the grafting operation for recording of time consumed for mechanical and manual bench grafting techniques for hundred plants in each treatment. Data regarding sprouting percentage was recorded in second week of March for the respective year while the data for success percentage was noted in last week of September for respective year. The experiment in the nursery was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five replications and data was analyzed by analysis of variance (Gomez and Gomez, 1984). The treatment means were compared by Duncan, new multiple range test (DMRT).
Results
Sprouting percentage: Sprouting percentage proved the superiority of mechanical method than manually prepared scion and stock as highly significant statistically in bench grafting operation (Table 1). Mechanically produced scion and stock had the highest % age (93.2) while it was recorded as the lowest for he same operation performed manually with the minimum sprouting percentage (66.6) only. Individually prepared stock and scion with machine and its counterpart made manually could not produced any significant difference with (80.6) and (81.4) percent sprouting success respectively.
Success percentage: Results proved that maximum success (88.20 %) was recorded where both scion and stock were prepared mechanically while minimum success (48.80 %) was noted where bench grafting technique was performed manually (Table 2). As for as individual mechanical method for stock and scion preparation is concerned along with the copartner made manually their success percentage was record at par statistically with 56.00 and 55.20 % respectively.
Time factor: A thorough study of results prove that mechanical operation of bench grafting is the most efficient methodology which took only 95.40 minutes for completion of the operation for 100 plants of apple (Table 3). Results proved that manually prepared stock and scion were more laborious and time consuming which took a maximum period of 192.20 minutes for completion of the bench grafting operation. Results of mechanically prepared stock and scion along with manually made counterpart took a period of 124.00 minutes and 127.40 minutes as operation duration and these are statistically at par with one an other.
Table 1: | Effect of mechanical operation on sprouting % age of apple nursery |
Table 2: | Effect of mechanical operation on success %age of apple nursery |
Table 3: | Effect of mechanical operation on time required for completion of operation |
Means having different letters are significantly different at P<0.05 |
Bench grafting technique is in use since long for propagation of apple like deciduous fruit plants. It is a cumbersome, time consuming and laborious methodology with moderate success results. Comparative evaluation of manual and mechanical methods adopted for scion and stock preparation in the research trial proved that maximum sprouting and success percentage was recorded where scion and stock both were prepared mechanically. It was due to the reason that this technique is more efficient, highly precise, uniform and provides maximum space for the cambial contact of scion and stock. The results enumerated are in consonance with those of Alley (1957), Wahler (1970) and Hartmann and Bentel (1979). These results are in consonance with the results reported by Cangi et al. (1999).
In conclusion maximum sprouting and success percentage of apple nursery was recorded in mechanically prepared scion and stock when it was compared with those prepared by hand. Mechanical bench grafting is more effective, efficient and gives relatively highest output in apple propagation as compared with conventional manual grafting practice.