IMPORTANCE OF ROOTSTOCK IN CANOPY MANAGEMENT AND FRUIT PRODUCTION

1. Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology &
Sciences,
Prayagraj- 211007 (U.P) India
ASSIGNMENT
ON
IMPORTANCE OF CANOPY MANAGEMENT IN
CANOPY MANAGEMENT AND FRUIT PRODUCTION
SUBMITTED TO- SUBMITTED BY-
Dr. VIJAY BAHADUR 19MSHFS009- ABHIMANYU KUMAR TOMAR
Head of Department of Horticulture 19MSHFS014- ANURAG ANSHUMAN MISHRA
NAI, SHUATS 19MSHFS020- MANISH BANIK
19MSHFS024- DEEPTI RANJAN MOHANTA
1

2. 2
S.No Topic Slide No
1. INTRODUCTION 3-16
2. SWOT ANALYSIS 17-29
3. UTILITY 30-43
4. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 44-47
5. TECHNICAL PROGRAMNME 48-52
6. ECONOMICS 53-54
7. CONCLUSION AND REMARKS 55-59
8. REFERENCES 60-63
CONTENT

3. Introduction
Canopy management and high-density planting are one of the
most important production factors confronting the burgeoning
fruit industry in India.
Indeed, canopy management is the manipulation of tree canopy
to optimize its production potential with excellent quality
fruits.
In many fruit crops, an increase in production with enhanced
fruit quality is obtained by managing canopies of short-statured
trees by using dwarf rootstocks.
Small trees capture and convert sunlight into fruit production in
a better way than larger ones.
3

4. Fruit production involves the capturing and conversion of
sunlight into the production of fruit biomass (dry matter
content).
4

5. Some pictures of Canopy
Management in fruit crops
5

6. Influence of Rootstock and Inter-
stocks in Dwarfing Effect
Dwarfing rootstocks are economical, effective and environmentally
safe means for controlling tree vigour canopy management and for
high-density orchards.
Rootstocks for high-density planting must control tree size,
reduce vigour and induce precocity or early fruiting.
Many of the modern tree forms for intensive orchards such as
slender spindle and vertical axis are achievable only with the help of
dwarfing rootstocks.
There are at least three categories of rootstock based on
their vigour regulating features: standard, semi-dwarf, and dwarf.
Trees on standard rootstock reach their full-size potential. 6

7. Factors involved in
rootstock-scion graft
union
(left side picture
illustration)
7

8. Standard rootstock results in a tree that grows to 5m or more in
height although the mature size can be highly variable between
different trees and locations depending upon vigour of the
scion cultivar and the environment in which the tree is grown.
 A semi –dwarfing rootstock produces a tree between 3 to 5 m
tall, again dependent upon the scion cultivar in which the tree
is grown.
Sometimes the term semi-vigorous is used to denote a
rootstock that is intermediary to standard and semi-dwarfing
rootstock generally restricts tree height to less than 3m and
takes only two to three years to bear fruit in most cases as
opposed to a standard rootstock on which the tree requires five
to seven years.
8

9. However, a true dwarfing rootstock may be defined as a
precocious one, which in combination with other plant
parts, and independent of viral, environmental or other
influences, results in a mature tree no larger than 2.5 m in
height.
The impact of dwarfing rootstocks upon changing
characters of the fruiting industry has been impressive in
the case of fruit trees, particularly apple, e.g. M.9 and
M.27, in mango Vellaikulumban’ is identified as a dwarfing
rootstock for Alphanso’ mango (Kurian et al, 1996) and
Flying Dragon as dwarfing rootstock for citrus.
9

10. Apple Rootstocks –
Dwarfing effect
(left side picture
illustration)
Citrus Rootstocks
(right side picture
illustration)
10

11. The Mechanism of Dwarfing
The mechanism by which a rootstock induces dwarfing is not
well understood and little is known of its genetic control.
 Delayed incompatibility, nutrient supply, hormonal control,
phenol content, etc. are cited as some of the probable causes of
the dwarfing effect of rootstock on the scion.
There are few indications that the effects of rootstock are
scion-specific suggesting an interaction of the two.
(Tubbs, 1967) suggested that there must be feedback
mechanism from the scion to rootstock and proposed a
hypothesis based on destruction or inhibition of auxin by
substances in or coming from the stock rather than on
production of auxin in the scion.
11

12. Difference in the gene expression of
vigorous and dwarf litchi
12

13. It is possible that is entirely different from either of them
individually.
Some success in tree size control has been achieved, for
e.g. with citrus relatives and species of citrus even though the
rootstock by itself is not a true dwarf.
A dwarfing rootstock could also be a true genetic dwarf by
itself and impart this character to scion budded upon it.
The extent of vegetative flushing was markedly less
when Alphanso’ mango was grown on the
dwarfing Vellaikulumban’ rootstock.
The earliest explanations of rootstock dwarfing assumed that a
reduced water or nutrient supply reached the scions from the
root which is inconsistent with the findings that scion leaf
nutrient differ very little among different rootstocks.
13

14. Excessive non-conducting phloem and Ca accumulations were
found associated with the extreme dwarfing rootstocks.
Very vigorous rootstock induced many more secondary
phloem fibres in the narrow bark of the scion, while a dwarfing
stock induced thicker bark with less phloem fibre.
The strongest evidence indicates that the bark is the key to the
dwarfing mechanism by rootstocks.
It has been postulated that vigour regulation depends on the
destruction of auxins produced by the shoot tip of scion while
translocation down the phloem, the amount arriving at the root
influencing root metabolism and affecting the amount and kind
of cytokinins synthesised and translocated to the shoot scion
through the xylem vessels.
14

15. Dwarf-grafted all season
mango
15

16. The dwarfing effect on Alphanso’ mango rendered
by Vellaikulumban’ rootstock could be attributed to the lower
xylem sap yield and lower level of cytokinins and higher level
of ABA produced in the root and transported to the shoot in the
xylem sap (Murti et al, 2000).
Higher concentrations of phenols are, however, known to lower
the endogenous auxin levels (Letham, 1978) by promoting its
oxidative decorboxylation by IAA oxidase enzyme (Zenk and
Muller, 1963).
Though dwarfing rootstock are very effective in controlling
tree size, but in most cases dwarfing rootstocks have poor soil
anchorage, posing problems for their use on hill slops, cyclone
prone area etc.
16

17. SWOT ANALYSIS
17

18. Nutritional Benefits:
 Certain rootstocks help the scion cultivar to uptake and build higher
quantities of nutrients in the foliage than others. For example,
Patharnakh plants raised through rooting of cuttings (without any
rootstock) show acute die back symptoms of Zinc deficiency, whereas
patharnakh grafted on root suckers (Pyrus calleryana) oriental pear
had no such problem.
 In an other experiment four cultivars, viz. Smith, Leconte, Kieffer and
Bagugosha were grafted on two different rootstocks, viz. Pyrus pashia
(Kainth Seedlings) and oriental pear rootsucker (Pyrus calleryana). It
was observed that N and P amounts in the leaves of scion cultivars
were more on pear rootsuckers than on Kanith, rootstock. K was more
on Kainth than pear root suckers.
STRENGTH
18

19.  The different stionic combinations in mandrins resulted into better NPK contents
in the foliage of scion cultivars on Jatti Khatti (Citrus jambhiri). But the
combinations with sweet orange cultivar showed that foyer and carrizo
rootstocks had higher NPK contents than Jatti khatti.
Citrus jambhiri (left
picture illustration)
Pyrus pashia (right
picture illustration)
19

20. Plant Vigour:
 The rootstocks influence the growth of fruit trees much more than any
other character. In apple, pear and citrus the examples are in plenty.
 Pear trees on D4 and Kainth rootstock were the most vigorous and on
quince (Cydonia oblonga) the dwarfest. Similarly citrumello and
Khama Khatta had bigger trees of sweet oranges than Rangpur lime,
Cleopatra and Trifoliate orange.
 In ber the Z. numularia had small ber plants than Z. mauritiana. In
apple Mg is the most dwarfing, M7 semidwarf and M11 and M16most
vigorous.
Influence on Anchorage:
 The scion depends upon the rootsystem of a rootstock for anchorage,
sometimes many cultivars have very good fruit characters, but have
poor root system, for example, mango cultivars Kishan Bhog has very
good fruit but seedling growth is poor hence such cultivars need a
rootstock for grafting.
20

21.  Pear on quince rootstock need support to keep erect. Similarly own rooted
Patharnakh cuttings trees are prone to tree felling during rainy season
because of poor anchorage. In citrus Khama Khatta and Jatti Khatti have
vigorous root system than Citranges Troyer and carrizo and trifoliate orange.
Juvenility:
 Dwarfing rootstocks usually bring early bearing in fruits by reducing the
juvenile period. Pear is precocious on quince C, apple on M7 and M9 Citrus
on Gitranges and ber on Z. nummularia.
Influence on Flowering and Fruiting:
 This is the most pronounced effect of a rootstock. The flowering is advanced
by few days on dwarfing rootstock than a vigorous one. Usually yield per
tree is more on a vigorous tree than on a dwarfing rootstock. Pear on quince
produced only 5 kg. of fruit in comparison to 250 kg. on D4 and Kainth
rootstocks. Kinnow can bear over two thousand fruits on Jatti Khatti in
comparison to 300-400 on trifoliate orange.
21

22. Fruit Size and Quality:
 The fruit of Kinnow are larger in size on Kharna Khatta than on cleopatra
and trifoliate orange.
 The fruit quality is better on trifoliate orange than Kharna Khatta.
 The bitterness in grape fruits is absent when budded on Trifoliate orange
rootstock, but it persists in plants propagated on Jatti khatti (Citrus
jambhiri) and other lemons as rootstock. Coorg mandarin fruits are of better
quality on cleopatra than on Rangpur lime and Troyer citrange.
Influence on Fruit Maturity:
 Almost all rootstocks which have dwarfing effect on the trees, bring fruit
maturity and fruit ripening a few days earlier than the trees on its seedling
rootstock or on vigorous rootstocks.
 Hence, this character can be exploited for extending the harvesting period.
22

23.  Kinnow ripens earlier on Trifoliate orange, followed by citranges, cleopatra and
Jatti khatti. Thus kinnow marketing can be carried out from November to end
February.
Resistance to Some Diseases:
 In citrus cleopatra root stock is resistant to many diseases particularly is
phytophthera and is salt tolerant. Rough lemon (Jatti khatti) is tolerant to
tristeza.
 Nemaguard Flordaguard rootstocks for peaches are resistant to nematode and
crown gall in mango kurukkan rootstock is salt tolerant.
 In grapes, Dogridge is resistant to Phylloxera and nematodes. Luck-now-49 a
guava rootstock has shown resistance to guava wilt.
Toleration to Winter Injury:
 Rootstock can also impart resistance to the scion cultivar against frost and
freeze injuries. Sucking mango as rootstock has better toleration to cold injury
in Dasheri mango than Dasheri seedling root stock. Cleopatra is also regarded as
freeze tolerant for citrus. Trifoliate orange is very hardy rootstock for winter.
23

24. Experience:
 The rootstock once used for the propagation of a fruit plant cannot be
changed later on therefore; the nursery man should have ample knowledge
pertaining to the behaviour of different rootstock for a scion in a set of soil
and climatic conditions.
Soil Factors:
 Soil is a natural gift to human beings. Due to raised situation/compulsions,
all types of soils are put under fruit cultivation.
 The factors like soil structure, organic matter content, concentration of salts
and soil pH greatly influence the recommendation of a rootstock. For
example, Kharna Khatta is being recommended for kinnow in heavy soils of
Uttar Pradesh, and Rangpur lime for Nagpur soils.
WEAKNESS
24

25.  Similarly Pyrus pashia (kainth) and P. serotina (Shiara) seedlings perform better in
mountaineous and rocky soils for pear.
 On the other hand, pear root suckers (Pyrus calleryana) oriental pear is a better
rootstock for plains and waterlogged soils.
 Therefore one cannot make a blanket recommendation of a particular rootstock for
all soils. Similarly M9 and M27 dwarfing rootstocks for apple have failed in India
due to poor soil fertility of the area.
Climate:
 The rainfall influences the climate the most. Rainfall varies from state to state and
even within the state.
 Some citrus rootstocks perform better in high rain fall conditions than arid or arid
irrigated region.
 Jatti Khatti do not develop phytophthora symptoms in arid or semi-arid climate of
Punjab and Rajasthan.
25

26.  Poncirus trifoliata performed well in Hoshiarpur belt than in Abohar due to
temperature variations.
Cultivar Differences:
 The rootstocks recommended for sweet orange cultivars cannot be
recommended for mandarins.
 Even the cultivars perform differentially in a species on a particular rootstock.
 Jatti Khatti (Citrus jambhiri) showed a crease formation at the bud union with
Blood Red cultivar for which a new rootstock Cleopatra has been
recommended.
 Similarly, Pectinifera is being recommended for Mosambi. Pineapple and
valencialate cultivars are doing well on Jatti khatti.
 In pear also Bartlett cultivar is not compatible with quince (Cydonia
oblonga). For Sathgudi sweet- orange Sathgudi is being used as a rootstock,
but it is not doing well with Mosambi and Pineapple oranges.
26

27. Pests and Disease Incidence:
 Some of the rootstocks can tolerate the attack of certain bioagents but some
cannot tolerate the attack to a great extent.
 Tristeza susceptible sour orange is not being used as a rootstock for citrus.
 Similarly Dodridge and Salt creek rootstocks of grapes are resistant to
nematodes attack than the other rootstocks.
Regional Adaptations:
 Some rootstocks perform good in one region and if used for other regions the
performance is not up to mark.
 Citranges particularly Troyer and carrizo are performing very well in U.S.A.
but in India particularly Punjab these rootstocks have performed very low.
 Similarly, Rangpur lime is recommended for citrus cultivars in south is doing
very well but in Punjab it has failed totally.
27

28. OPPERTUNITIES
 In citrus the rootstocks have to be recommended region wise. The nuclear
embryos should be cultured in growth media and uniform material should only
be used in each rootstock. New rootstocks may be evaluated for dwarfing and
tolerant to viral diseases.
 In mango seedlings of mango variety which is tolerant to frost/freeze should be
evolved/evaluated. A dwarfing rootstock is the need of hour for Langra,
Dusheri and S.B. Chausa cultivars.
 For Guava a rootstock resistant to wilt is required. The rootstock should be
tolerant to fruit fly. In ber it is very important to develop a rootstock which
should be dwarfing and can impart resistance to powdery mildew.
 In pear a semi-dwarf rootstock with precious in nature is required. Peach and
plum need good rootstock to have anchorage and dwarfing effect on cultivars.
28

29. THREAT
 To make recommendation for the use of a rootstock for a particular fruit plant,
it requires long-term experimentation. It is difficult to make a universal
recommendation of a particular rootstock for a particular cultivar .For
example, for citrus kharna Khatta is the most prevalent used rootstock. In
Punjab, it is a failure due to exocortis infection. In Punjab, it is the Jatti Khatti
which has been considered the best rootstock.
 Here too Jatti Khatti has sent the Blooded cultivar of sweet oranges to decline,
due to crease formation at the bud-union. Hence, different rootstocks for
different cultivars are being evaluated and have been recommended.
 Now Cleopatra has been recommended for Blood Red sweet orange and
Pectinifera for Mosambi. For high density plantations of kinnow Poncirus
trifoliata can be successfully exploited.
 Troyer and Carrizo citranges which have proved good in U.S.A. have failed to
perform in India due to exocortis susceptibility.
29

30. Uility of Rootstock in Fruit Tree in
Canopy Management and Production
Rootstocks play an essential role to determining orchard
performance of fruit trees. site-specific environmental
characteristics, specific cultivar response and production
objectives must be considered before choosing the best
rootstock
Trees on seedling rootstock had the highest annual yield,
highest cumulative yield (kg tree−1), largest trunk cross-
sectional area (TCSA), lowest yield efficiency and lowest
cumulative yield (ton ha−1) in the 10th year after planting.
The effect of rootstocks on the mineral element
accumulation (N, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and B) was
significant. 30

31. The rapid developments fruit tree nursery technology and
rootstock research and introduction of new clonally propagated
rootstocks opened in new area in fruit science.
Clonal rootstocks with dwarfing characteristics well reported to
increase precocity and fruit quality, especially in the high
intensity modern orchards and thus gained more importance.
Rootstock had a significant effect on tree size, as reflected by
TCSA measurements.
From planting of trees up to 10 years, although, trees on
vigorous seedling rootstocks can have higher yield than those on
dwarfing ones due to their greater size, this superiority may not
hold for yield efficiency which is production per unit of growth.
31

32. Utility of Rootstocks in Some Important
Fruit Crops
Role of Rootstocks in Mango
Vigour management plays an important role in mango,
especially for high density planting and orchard management
in terms of canopy management, harvesting and plant
protection measures.
According to the growth and bearing habit of ‘Dashehari’
mango on the seedling stock of ‘Dashehari’ itself, showed
most vigorous nature and highest yield compared to other
poly embryonic rootstock.
32

33. Similar results were reported from IIHR- Bangalore, based
on 21 years study on the performance of ‘Alphonso’ which
indicated nucellar seedlings of ‘Muvandan’, ‘Bappakai’
and ‘Olour’ were vigorous rootstocks in decreasing order
of vigour while ‘Vellaikulumban’ seedling imparted
dwarfing in comparison to ‘Alphonso’ grafted on its own
seedling.
Some factors like phenolic contents bark percentage and
chlorophyll fractions were found to be very useful for
determining the vigour of mango rootstocks at nursery
stage.
 Selection of size controlling rootstocks at the nursery
stage can be made by assessing leaf water potential, total
phenols/and or ABA.
33

34. Fruit yield and productivity plays an important role in crops
like mango where the productivity is very low in most of
mango growing countries. Yield and yield efficiency of
‘Kensington Pride’ was best on ‘Sg. Siput’ roots.
Rootstock trial conducted at IIHR, Bangalore for 21 years,
indicated no significant effect of rootstocks (Vellaikulumban,
Bappakai, Chandrakaran, Kurukan, Muvandan, Mylepelian
and Olour) on fruit quality of ‘Alphonso’ mango.
Screening of mango rootstocks to salinity has shown that the
polyembryonic cultivars ‘Olour’ and ‘Bappakai’ could
withstand higher level of salinity . ‘Olour’ as best salt
tolerant rootstock compared to ‘Kuruka’.
34

35. Rootstock and
grafting of
mango
35

36. Role of Rootstocks in Guava
At present, guava is propagated on seedlings raised from
open pollinated seeds and not on uniform clonal
rootstocks.P. cattleianum, P. guinesee, P. molle and
Philippine guava were found suitable as rootstocks.
On P. cattleianum, the trees were the tallest and gave the
maximum yield. P. pumilum rootstock had dwarfing effect
but fruits on this rootstock had maximum number of seeds,
highest TSS and total sugars.
Trees on P. cujavillis produced the largest fruits with the
highest ascorbic acid content, though they were rough-
skinned and not uniform.
36

37. All rootstocks were free from wilt disease (Fusarium solani
/Macrophomina phaseoli) except ‘Allahabad
Safeda’.Rootstock aneuploid No. 82 impart dwarfness to
‘Allahabad Safeda’ in terms of plant height, plant spread and
tree volume. They also recorded higher yield on this
rootstock.
37

38. Role of Rootstocks in Pear
Fewer rootstocks choices are available for pears than for
apples. Domestic pear seedlings (Pyrus communis) are still
the most acceptable rootstocks for pear cultivars in terms of
vigour, hardiness, and compatibility.
However, all pear trees on seedling roots are susceptible to
fire blight.
Pyrus betulaefolia seedlings are also adapted for many soil
conditions and it’s a winter hardy.
The trees are vigorous, larger than ‘Bartlett seedling’, and
moderately tolerant to fire blight. Pyrus ussurensis can be
used as resistant to fire blight and cold hardy. 38

39. 39

40. Role of Rootstocks in Apple
In Himachal Pradesh, seedlings of ‘Crab C’ are employed as
rootstock. The first rootstock trial of apple was initiated in
1937 at Chaubattia with ‘Red Delicious’, ‘Jonathan’ and
‘Rymer’ cultivars using Crab C, M 2, M 13, Merton 779,
Merton 793 and ‘Local Selection’ (seedling selection from
‘Ribbistin Pippin’) rootstocks.
Some promising rootstocks were identified for different apple
growing regions in India viz. M 7, M 9, M 26, MM 106 and
MM 111 for Himachal Pradesh; M 2, M 4, M 7, M 9 for J&K
and Merton 779, MM 106, M 13 for Uttarakhand.
‘Starking Delicious’ on MM 111, MM 106, MM 104 and M 4
rootstocks showed less reduction in growth, 40

41. photosynthetic efficiency and nutrient uptake, and had higher
stomatal resistance, lower transpiration rate, more accumulation of
proline, ABA and carbohydrate under water stress.
41

42. Role of Rootstock in Grapes
The cultivars most tolerant to strong acid soils were V.
labrusca cv. ‘Concord’ and ‘Catawba’, along with rootstock
‘SO4’ and‘3309C’, and the hybrid cultivar ‘Seyval’;
V. vinifera ‘White Riesling’ and ‘Chardonnay’ were the most
intolerant.
The use of acid-tolerant rootstocks, such as ‘SO4’ and
‘3309C’, was highly recommended.
Grape cv. ‘Sultana’ grows vigorously when grafted on
‘Ramsey’, ‘1103P’ and ‘R2’ rootstock.
42

43. 43

44. REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Moreover, several of these mechanisms may interact (Dana et
al. 1962,Lockard and Schneider , Soumelidou et al.).
Alterations with a possible pathological basis (Mendel and
Cohen 1967, Rabe et al., Ermel et al.), hormonal mechanisms
(Richards et al, Steffens and Hedden, Cutting and Lyne, Wang
and Faust Bertling and Lovatt), anatomical mechanisms
(McKenzie, Soumelidou et al.) and nutritional mechanisms
(Jones 1976, Schechter et al.) have been postulated.
Other physiological aspects, such as photosynthetic capacity,
nutrient metabolism and water relationships, may also be
involved (Carlson,Syvertsen and Graham 1985, Schechter et
al.).
Schaumberg and Gruppe (1985) showed that fruiting of some
of then ‘Hedelfingen’ trees on clonal hybrid rootstock was
higher than for trees on F1 2/1.
44

45. Perry (1987) suggested that fruit size generally is not
affected by rootstock; instead, it tends to be a result of
crop load.
Kappes and Flore (1989) reported that leaves closest to
the base showed basipetal translocation only, whereas
leaves distal to the midpoint of the shoot showed
bidirectional translocation.
Proebsting (1990) reported that ‘Bing’ cherry fruit size
is negatively related to yield if leaf area is relatively
constant. In our study, mean fruit weight was higher on
trees on F1 2/1 than on the others; when we analyzed
fruit weight using an index for crop load (number of
fruit per shoot length) as a covariate, it did not
changethe results.
45

46. The measurements and samples used in the work were taken
from Navelina orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) budded
on three hybrid rootstocks. Two rootstocks, #23 and
#24,come from a cross between Troyer citrange (C. sinensis
×Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.) × Cleopatra mandarin (C.
reshni Hort. ex Tan.). The third rootstock (Troyer citrange ×
common mandarin (C. deliciosa Ten.)) has been registered in
the European Union as F&A 418. All rootstocks were
obtained by J.B. Forner at the I.V.I.A. (Moncada, Valencia,
Spain) as described in Forner et al. (2000).
The rooting percentage of cuttings of the transgenic rolB
rootstocks is lower than the rooting percentage of the same
rootstocks reported earlier from in vitro rooting (Welander
and Zhu 2000; Zhu et al. 2001).
46

47. The Malling–Merton 111 (MM.111) rootstock only reduces
the size of the tree by roughly 20% (Wertheim. Rootstock
effects on scion disease susceptibility, photosynthetic activity
(Fallahi et al. 2002), and cold tolerance have also been
reported (Webster and Wertheim 2003 ).
So far, the only GM tree species that are commercially
cultivated are GM poplar with insect resistance grown in
China and GM papaya with virus resistance grown in USA
and China (James 2008).
Pérez et al. recently reported studies in which growth and
yield were associated with specific scion-rootstock
combinations.
Majumdar in India found that growth parameters such as
bark percentage of stems as well as roots could be used to
determine vigor of seedlings at the nursery stage and to
predict their dwarfing potential.
47

48. TECHNICAL PROGRAMME
There are 2 types of rootstocks i.e. seedling rootstocks & clonal rootstocks
1. Seedling rootstock – These are raised from seed.
2. Clonal rootstock - Propagated vegetatively either by stool layering, rooted cuttings or by aseptic
tissue culture method.
Propagation of Fruit Crops
• Sexual propagation occurs through seed
• Stratification - Moist cold treatment 35 to 40oF for 60 -90 day for rootstocks of peach, apple,
apricot etc.
• Seeds are dipped in GA3 (500 ppm) for 24 hours to break the dormancy.
• For nursery , seeds are sown at a depth of 3cm with a spacing 10-15cm between seeds and 15-25cm
between rows & provided with mulch.
• After 6 – 7 weeks seeds become ready for transplanting.
• After 1 year when pencil thickness is acquired, they are suitable for grafting, budding operations.
48

49. Basic steps in performing veneer
grafting
49

50. Basic steps in performing T-
budding 50

51. PROPAGATION OF CLONAL ROOTSTOCKS
Scions are clonally propagated by grafting, but the clonal rootstock they are grafted onto must be
propagated by clonal methods other than grafting including cuttings, layering, micropropagation,
and apomictic seed. In fact difficulty of clonal propagation of fruit tree rootstocks in one of the
major limitation to rootstock selection in some cases.
1. Cuttings
In relatively easy-to-clone species, such as grapes and some roses, rootstock cultivars are rooted
from cuttings either directly in the field (rose hardwood cuttings in Kenya), where grafting will
subsequently occur, or cuttings are rooted in a greenhouse, as is the case for non hardy,
florist's roses such as these grown in Colombia. Other crops for which clonal rootstocks are
sometimes propagated from cuttings include plum, peach, and cherry.
2. Layering
For species that will not root easily from cutting, layering is often practiced, because roots are
able to form before the propagule (branch, shoot, etc.) is detached (cut) from the parent plant.
Apple is relatively difficult to root from cuttings, and layering is by far the most important
method for colonal propagation of this crop.
51

52. 3. Apomictic seed
Many citrus species and mango varieties, used as rootstocks, are
apomictic and polyembryonic, as described above. Hence clonal
rootstock propagation in this case is simply a matter of seed
germination.
4. Micropropagation
Micropropagation (tissue culture) for clonal propagation of some fruit
tree rootstocks has been practiced for years by breeders and / or for
research applications, it has proven to be too expensive to be widely
commercially viable.
52

53. Cost of cultivation(Rs/ha) of Mango Varieties on Rootstock
53

54. All this above mentioned experiment was done byM.S
Gawankar, B.R.Salvi ,S.A. Chavan and N.V Dalvi in
Regional Fruit Research Station,Vengurle in 2010.
Selling price of Alphanso mango at that time was approx.
Rs.20 but today it is around Rs 100. But the cost incurred
for the operation has also doubled in same rate. Hence,
there is no significant difference in benefit:cost ratio in
today’s scenario.
54

55. Conclusion
 Dwarfing-canopy and rootstocks can be used in several
fruit crop production systems, especially in high-density
plantings. Some tropical, subtropical and temperate fruit
species are available for this purpose, mainly dwarfing-
rootstocks, which provides the fruit production under
protected and open field cultivation.
 The effect of rootstocks and inter-stocks pertaining to
growth, flowering, fruit set, yield efficiency and fruit
quality attributes of fruit crops are complex and poorly
understood
55

56.  Studies on understanding the mechanisms underlying
these effects would help for future rootstock breeding and
selection.
 A better understanding of endogenous growth substances,
rootstock scion interactions, soil or climatic factors needed
to be studied, which would aid more efficient selection and
use of rootstocks in the future. There is an urgent need to
evolve rootstocks tolerant to biotic and abiotic stresses in
different tropical, subtropical and temperate fruit crops and
selection of best rootstock which can leads to a desirable
tree shape and size with increased quality and production
of Fruit. 56

57. Remarks
Rootstocks have a determinant influence on water and
nutrient uptake/transport, and on water balance and
WUE of the scion in grafted plants.
Rootstocks are widely used to improve yield in many
tree crops. The mechanism(s) by which this occurs has
variously been suggested to involve nutrients, water
movement, the graft union itself, and changes in
hormone concentration. While all the classical plant
hormones have been implicated,
57

58.  The results of this work show that Delivery rates of a
range of ions were greater for the vigorous rootstock
compared to the semi-dwarf. Evidence from anatomical
studies shows that various features of both the phloem
(sugars, some ions and some hormones) and xylem (water
and some hormones) transport systems differ markedly
between rootstocks of different vigor.
There is little doubt that hormones such as the auxins,
cytokinins and gibberellins, along with abscissic acid, have
major roles in determining shoot and root growth and
development
58

59. Used in conjunction with modification of hormone biosynthesis
or signal transduction, a more detailed knowledge of the
mechanisms that affect rootstock size control will emerge.
Eventually the need for grafted rootstocks may even be negated
by altered root development in own-rooted scion varieties.
Opportunities will also exist to modify the roots of crops for
which no dwarfing rootstocks exist presently.
59

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