Resource Book on Horticulture Nursery Management

to transmission of several diseases and pests through the mother plant. Thus, importance of
testing of material in the process of its preparation at various stages needs due attentions.
The targets of the enhancing fruit production in the coming years will be achieved only
through production and distribution of healthy, genuine and high quality planting material of
commercial/improved varieties of fruit crops in sufficient quantities. Similarly, adequate
measures are taken in the preparation of plant material to produce disease and pest free plant
material.
Progeny Trees/Mother Plants:
A nurseryman should have progeny trees of all the promising cultivars of fruits
that can be grown in that particular area.
Criteria for Selection of Mother Plants:
� The mother plants of the variety should be genetically true to type.
� The mother plants should be healthy and free from any diseases, pest infestations
and physiological disorder.
� The mother plants should have known pedigree records regarding bearing potential,
fruit quality and problems, if any.
� The mother plants should be a prolific and regular fruit bearer.
Criteria for Selection of Rootstocks
a) Dwarfing and semi-dwarfing in nature
b) Compatibility with the known commercial cultivars.
c) Resistance/tolerance to biotic (diseases and pests) and abiotic stresses.
d) Rootstock should have well developed and profuse root system.
e) The rootstock should be easy to propagate vegetatively or from seeds.
Mango (Mangifera indica L.)
Raising of Rootstocks: Mango seedlings grown from stones of seedling trees are
used as rootstocks. Stones should be collected from vigorous, disease free and high
yielding trees during the harvesting season. Mango stones lose their viability very soon
on desiccation. Stones are sown during in June-July. When the seedlings attain the age
of 2-3 months, they should be transplanted in well prepared beds or polybags. Plant is
allowed to grow as a single stem for six to eight months. Scion is ready for grafting
w hen the plant attains pencil thickness or a little more. Now a days, high density
planting is getting popular for which dwarf trees are demanded. To produce dwarfing
effect it is necessary to select the correct type of rootstock. The rootstock such as
Villaikolamban, Ambalavi are recommended for this purpose. The locally found wild
mango stones may also be used as rootstock for the same purpose.
Methods of Propagation: Nurserymen in many of the mango growing areas still
use inarching, traditional method of propagation. During past few decades, experimental
results have shown that veneer grafting technique can be used with high success
rate in North India. Stone (epicotyl) grafting is suitable for Coastal regions. Now-adays
softwood grafting is being used commercially for mango propagation in several
parts of south India. Veneer grafting and soft wood grafting techniques should be used
for large scale multiplication of mango all over the mango producing area.
<strong>Resource</strong> <strong>Book</strong> on Horticulture Nursery Management : 137