Optimization of propagation techniques and timimg for the production of kiwi fruit (Actinidia chinensis) plant at Khyber Pakhtun Khwa Mingora Swat

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to optimize the propagation techniques (budding & grafting) with different timing for production of kiwi fruit plant, at Agriculture Research Institute (North) Mingora Swat during 2013. The statistical analysis of the data showed that most of the growth parameters of kiwifruit plants were significantly influenced by different grafting dates and propagation methods. The plants propagated on 9^th February showed maximum number of shoots (4.67) graft^-1, number of leaves (119.00) graft^-1, leaf area (106.67 cm²), graft growth (108.5 cm), graft diameter (4.52 cm), plants survival (92.00%) and bud/graft take success (76.17%). While the plants propagated on 10^th January took more number of days to sprouting (63.10). Similarly, the kiwi plants produced through chip budding showed the maximum days to sprouting (36.93), number of shoots (4.47) graft^-1, number of leaves (84.46) graft^-1, graft growth (87.47 cm), graft diameter (5.13 cm) and bud/graft take success (81.00%). While in case of tongue grafting, the maximum leaf area (101.73 cm²) and plants survival (77.93%). The interaction of grafting dates on 9^th February and propagation methods as tongue grafting significantly influenced the number of shoots graft^-1, number of leaves graft^-1, graft diameter and bud/graft take success while had non-significant effect on number of days to sprouting, leaf area, graft growth and plants survival. It was concluded from the findings of present research that the kiwifruit plants could be propagated through tongue grafting during start to mid-February under the agro climatic condition of swat valley.

Keywords: Tongue grafting; Chip budding; Propagation timing and kiwifruit plant

http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2017.60094