SOFT WOOD GRAFTING IN COCOA

Cocoa is an important mixed crop in coconut and arecanut gardens. In India area under cocoa is not sufficient to meet domestic demand in chocolate industry and confectionaries. It should be expanded with quality planting materials. Seedlings of cocoa showed high genetic variability or non-uniform performance in the field. So, softwood grafting is the best method of propagation for production and multiplication of high yielding varieties of cocoa. Grafts are performing well in all cocoa producing countries with 80% survival rate.

Root stock preparation

For the grafting technique to be successful stock and scion compatibility is very important which exists in cocoa.

•  Harvest well matured, big seed pods from ideal plants.

•  Extract bold, larger beans to get healthy seedlings.

•  Rub the beans carefully with sand to remove the mucilage.

•  Sow them immediately in polybags of 6”x9” size and 250 gauge filled with rooting mixture 2:1:1 Soil: Sand: FYM.

•  Keep the seeds horizontally or vertically with hilum end down and just cover the beans with sand.

•  Keep them under shade nets or cover with thatches.

•  Irrigate gently once in alternate days.

•  Seeds will germinate in 10 days.

•  3 to 4 months old seedlings can be used as root stocks.

Scion preparation

· Scion stick of 12-15 cm length with 2-3 buds from desirable high yielders can be collected.

· Scion sticks of chupons are preferred which require little pruning and training than fan branches.

· Root stock stem and scion stick should be of same thickness and physiological age.

· Remove the leaves from the scion stick.

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