A series of experiments were carried out during the year 1999-2002 to investigate into the - standardisation of different methods of vegetative propagation, scion production from clonal hedgerow, efficacy of epicotyl grafting, effect of physiological factor on the growth and development of graft, performance of the plants produced by different methods of vegetative propagation, effect of rootstock-scion combination, effect of barrier zone on the graft union process. All the field experiments were laid out in RCBD. The differences among different treatments were separated by LSD test. The result revealed that the best time of grafting for modified cleft grafting and veneer grafting were May and July respectively. The best time for air layering with eco-friendly coconut coir was May. The contact grafting showed high cost involvement with low growth and damaging the mother plants. Scion defoliated 10 days before grafting gave the best result in both % survival and growth. The highest number of quality scion was harvested from clonal hedgerow planted at 1.00 m and 0.75 m apart in the hexagonal planting system with pruning in February. Epicotyl grafted plants showed the best performance in graft union process and root growth. Cleft grafted plants attained highest canopy volume. Early flowering and fruiting was recorded in the air-layered plants. The age of rootstock having no effect on the % success and survival but dark green scion with swollen terminal bud gave highest success and excellent growth. Grafting of scion with rootstock of same variety gave highest success and growth. Histological studies revealed that the formation, dissociation, disruption and disappearance of the barrier zone were one of the vital factors for the graft union process in mango. The whole experiments were conducted with cv. Amrapali comparing with cv. Gopalbhog.

(E-mail: nurul@icsaakti.com)