1. Plant propagation of subtropical and tropical fruit crops for the home landscape
Jonathan H. Crane, Tropical Fruit Crop Specialist
University of Florida, IFAS
Tropical Research and Education Center, Homestead

2. Types of plant propagation
Seedage (by seed)
Air-layering (marcottage)
Cuttings
Suckers
Stooling*
Grafting
Budding
*, not common for propagation of subtropical
and tropical fruit crops

3. Supplies for seedage, marcottage, and cuttings
Soil media
Sterile and clean
Well drained
Containers for seed and cuttings
Clippers, knives
Labels
Rooting hormone
Marcottage
Knives
Clippers/loppers
Polyethylene plastic and/or tinfoil
Plastic flagging tape

4. Soil media Seedage and cuttings
Mixtures of peatmoss, perlite, vermiculite, course sand, clean soil, clean compost
Marcottage
Clean sphagnum moss

5. Seedage
Most fruit trees may be propagated by seed. However, seedlings have two potential drawbacks
They do not always come true to cultivar.
They usually take longer to flower and fruit.
However, seedlings are commonly used as rootstocks for avocado, mango, carambola, loquat, mamey sapote, and citrus.

6. Seedage
Remove seed from mature/ripe fruit, wash thoroughly and air dry in the shade.
If seed is to be stored for more than 3-4 days then consider treating seed with a fungicide or 1% chlorine solution during washing (use gloves!), then air dry.
Store in cool (50-55oF) dark area.
Many tropical fruit seeds are recalcitrant – meaning, they do not store for very long before they lose viability.
Examples include avocado, mango, lychee, longan, and carambola.
In contrast, atemoya, sugar apple, and papaya store for several years.

7. Seedage steps for selected tropical fruit crops
Avocado: remove outer integument (papery) tissue, rinse*, air dry, plant flat (top) upside down ~1/2” down into soil.
Mango: remove outer husk, FD, plant horizontally just under media.
Papaya: remove seed and outer gelatinous sac, rinse*, air dry, poke ¼-1/2” hole in media, drop in seed and cover.
Carambola: remove seed, rinse*, air dry, plant into ¼-1/2” hole and cover.
*, remove dirt and/or gelatinous coatings

8. Marcottage (air-layering)
12”-36” long
Select a branch that is ½ to 2 inches in dia.
at 12 to 36 inches from the terminal end of the branch.

9. Marcottage (air-layering)
½” - 2” girdle
bark
bark
wood below bark
Girdle the branch by removing a ring of bark ½ to
2 inches in width and scrape away any soft tissue to
the wood surface.

10. Marcottage (air-layering)
wrap
sphagnum moss
Take about 2 handfuls of sphagnum moss that has
been soaking overnight, squeeze it to remove most
of the water and place it around the girdle. Then
wrap with plastic or tin foil (secure ends).

11. Marcottage (air-layering)
cut behind the air-layer
Completed air-layer; leave this in tact for 3 or
more months depending upon temperatures and
periodically check for signs of rooting. When
rooted remove from tree.

12. Marcottage (air-layering)
fresh, healthy
roots
Rooted and removed marcott

13. After care of marcotts
Pot the new marcott into a 3-gal or larger pot; plant it 2-3 inches deep; stake the plant.
Place the plant into a shade house (1 month of periodic misting will help) for 1-3 months.
Fertilize with dilute solutions, water as needed.
Be careful not to drop or roughly handle containers of murcotted trees as this may damage the new root system.
Remove marcott from mother tree with clippers or loppers; make a cut behind the root ball.
The roots of marcotts are only superficially attached to the new plant therefore handle the plant gently – jolting/dropping/throwing will detach the roots and kill the new plant.

14. Propagation by cuttings – four components for success
2- High relative humidity. Professional propagators use intermittent mist beds, however, these require some expertise to construct and may be impractical for most homeowners. Try using polyethylene bags with periodic sprinkling.
1- Rooting hormones are effective in stimulating and hastening rooting.
IBA (indolebutryic acid) and NAA (naphthaleneacetic acid) are the two most common: follow the directions.

15. Propagation by cuttings – additional technology
3 – Use clean well drained media for rooting cuttings; use a combination of peatmoss and perlite or vermiculite.
4 - Place the cuttings that have been put into clean soil media in a warm but shaded location – this will improve the speed callus and roots are formed, i.e., improves the rooting of cuttings.

16. Propagation by cuttings Hardwood, semi-hardwood and soft-wood
Hardwood cuttings are taken from the previous seasons growth (1/4-3/4”: 6-20 mm in dia.) and are 6-12” (15-20 cm) long.
Usually the cuttings are bundled together, placed horizontally into a box and covered with moist, sterile media, placed in a warm shady location.
After the bases of the cuttings have formed callus they are planted into the propagation media (basal side down).
Hardwood cuttings are used for some temperate zone fruit crops and not commonly used for subtropical/tropical fruit crops.

17. Propagation by cuttings Hardwood, semi-hardwood and soft-wood
Semi-hardwood cuttings are taken from matured portions of the current season’s growth. In Florida, this type of growth is usually available, July through Sept.
Soft-wood cuttings are made from soft, new spring growth – it has some maturity but is flexible. In Florida, this type of growth is usually available, May and June and; again if plants repeatedly flush.
May be used for guava, citrus, etc.

18. Propagation by cuttings Hardwood, semi-hardwood and soft-wood
Procedure
Cut material with leaves attached, place in plastic bag; bring to propagation area.
Hint: the best time to collect material is early in the morning.
Cuttings are between 4-8 inches long (1-3 nodes).
Remove leaves from lower 1/3 of cutting. Leave 2-4 leaves or leave parts of leaves.
Dip basal end of stem into rooting hormone.
Strike (place) into rooting media and place 2 stakes into the into container to hold the plastic bag over the cuttings.

19. Propagation by cuttings
stake
clear
polyethylene
bag
tape/string
container
filled with
media

20. Propagation by cuttings
Place struck cuttings in the shade.
Periodically open the bag and mist the cutting with water.
Periodically inspect the cuttings for signs of rooting.
Periodically water the soil media – but do not over (constantly) water, as this may lead to rotting.

21. Propagation by suckers (off-shoots)
Banana – remove sword or peepers from base of mother plant. Swords may be planted immediately. Sword suckers may be planted or potted-up for later planting.
This plant material should be disinfested for nematodes and fungal diseases.
Pineapple – suckers arise near the base of the stem, leaves, or roots. Remove from parent plant, air-dry cut surface for 1-2 days in the shade, then plant in new location or pots.

22. Banana propagation by suckers
sword sucker
Banana propagation by suckers
peeper

23. Grafting and budding
Refers to the process of joining parts of two separate plants in such a way that they will unite and grow on as a single plant.
Scion refers to the part of the graft that produces the top of the new plant and ultimately the fruit.
Rootstock refers to the part of the plan that forms the lower trunk and root system of the new plant.
A rootstocks may be a seedling, cutting, layer, or offshoot.

24. Grafting and budding
The most important components for grafting and budding include:
time of year;
compatibility among the scion and rootstock material;
budwood and/or rootstock preparation.
Lining up the cambium tissues of the scion and rootstock so they bond.
Preventing moisture loss from the scion during the healing/bonding process.

25. Grafting and budding
Grafting involves the use of a scion with two or more buds.
Budding involves the use of a scion with only one bud.

26. Grafting and budding – time of year
For subtropical/ tropical fruit crops this may be:
During the spring or fall when it is slightly cooler (e.g., avocado);
During warm weather (e.g., mango);
When terminal or axillary buds are beginning to swell (e.g., mamey sapote).
When rootstock and scion material are actively growing – the bark easily slips, i.e., bark can be pulled away from the wood without tearing (e.g., citrus).
In subtropical temperature may be the deciding factor. In tropical areas rainfall may be the major factor.

27. Grafting and budding – compatibility among scion and rootstock
Graft incompatibility is the failure of the scion/rootstock to “take” or survive indefinitely.
The graft compatibility is greatest to least, within species > within genus. Most grafting/ budding is done within species.
Symptoms of graft incompatibility include death of the graft or bud wood, wilting, dieback, and death of the scion and/or death of the rootstock.
Incompatibility may be delayed by a short time or years after grafting.

28. Budwood preparation
The purpose of budwood preparation is to force buds into active growth and/or increase the carbohydrate status of the scion wood.
Actively growing buds of some species graft “better” than dormant buds.
Procedure
Remove the last 4-10 terminal leaves (the petiole remains) on a shoot several days or weeks prior and/or
girdle the shoot inches from the terminal from which budwood will be cut.

29. Rootstock preparation
Procedures/options
Cut-off the top of the plant a day to several days ahead of grafting/ budding (e.g., mamey sapote, canistel).
The purpose of rootstock preparation is to force the plant into active growth and/or to increase the carbohydrate accumulation of the rootstock or both.

30. Collection of budwood
Commonly, scionwood is collected from the previous season’s growth or from the base of a new growth flush after it has matured, just as axillary buds begin to grow.
Remove the leaves immediately, leaving a short stub of the petiole (leaf stalk).
In general, cut only enough budwood for the day’s grafting needs. Scionwood of many tropicals does not store more than a few weeks.
Select wood with matured axillary and/or terminal buds (these may or may not be prepared depending upon necessity).

31. Veneer grafting
Use a young rootstock (RS) with lower branches and leaves removed.

32. Veneer grafting side view front view
On the rootstock make a thin vertical cut, 2-3” long, with a second horizontal cut at a 45o angle at the bottom of the first cut.

33. Veneer grafting scion with terminal bud(s)
Select a scion with 2-3 buds and of similar diameter as the rootstock.
scion with
only axillary buds

34. Veneer grafting
On the scion make a slanting cut on 1 side, equal in length to that on the RS. Make a small angled cut at the base to match the notch on the RS.
side view back view

35. Veneer grafting
Set the scion in place on the RS making sure to line up the cambial layers on a least 1 side.
scion
rootstock

36. Veneer grafting
Wrap the graft in an upward spiral, starting below the graft to just above the graft; tie-off the tape.

37. Cleft grafting
Select a young RS and remove leaves near the area to be grafted; cut-off the top of the plant.

38. Cleft grafting
Make a vertical cut 2-3 inches long down the center of the rootstock.
top view
rootstock
side view

39. Cleft grafting
Select a scion 4-6” long, preferably the same dia. as the RS.
Make a 2-sided wedge at the base of the scion; the same length as the cut in the RS.

40. Cleft grafting
Insert the scion and align the cambial layers on at least 1 side.
scion
rootstock

41. Cleft grafting
Wrap the graft in an upward spiral with the last turn made to cover the cut ends of the RS; cover the entire graft with a polyethylene bag; place grafted plant in shade.
bag

42. Inverted T-budding
Cut the scionwood bud by making a thin cut starting ¼” above the bud and ending ¼ below the bud; cut just under the bud so a thin sliver of wood remains under the bark of the bud (shield).

43. Inverted T-budding
Use a young rootstock (RS) with lower branches and leaves removed.

44. Inverted T-budding
On the rootstock, make a thin vertical cut just through the bark, 1-11/2” long in a smooth area of the bark.

45. Inverted T-budding
Next, make a horizontal cut ½-3/4” long just through the bark that intersects the lower end of the vertical cut.
Open up the two flaps of bark to reveal the cambium and wood.

46. Inverted T-budding
Push the scion bud underneath the flaps on the RS so it completely encloses the bud.

47. Inverted T-budding
Wrap the bud in a upward spiral, starting below the graft to just above the graft; tie-off the tape.

48. Aftercare of grafted/budded trees
Forcing procedures
Lopping
Bending
Topping
Stake and tie the scion after removal of the RS top; remove RS sprouts.
Grafted plants should be placed in a shaded area and/or mist area.
Unwrap the graft when the scion has begun to grow (2-8 weeks).
Remove plastic bags covering cleft graft/ rootstock.
Forcing the graft to grow may speed up the process.

49. Forcing - topping
growing scion
rootstock

50. Forcing - bending then later removing the original top
growing scion
rootstock
cord, string, grafting tape

51. Forcing – lopping, I.e., cutting part way through the rootstock then later removing the original top
growing scion
rootstock

52. Staking the new shoot
growing scion
stake
rootstock

53. Newly grafted tree
When removing (cutting) the seedling top back to the graft, be careful not to damage the graft union area.
Care for the growing scion/rootstock plant so the graft union heals and the new scion takes over as the top of the new tree.

54. Grafting timing Avocado, fall/winter Mango, late spring/summer/fall
Carambola, late spring/summer
Sapodilla, summer
Mamey sapote, March-May, Oct.-Nov.
Guava, late spring/summer
Jackfruit, late spring/summer
Canistel, summer
Sugar apple, seed, 3+ months old
Passion fruit, late spring/summer

55. Credits
Author – Dr. Jonathan H. Crane, Tropical Fruit Crops Specialist
Photographs – copyrighted
Ian Maguire
Jonathan H. Crane
Drawings – Jonathan H. Crane
This presentation is copyrighted, 2005 University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences