STUDY OF GRAFT COMPATIBILITY OF BITTERGOURD SCION ON SPONGE GOURD ROOTSTOCKS S.

ESWARA REDDY
S.V.AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE TIRUPATI- 517502 (A.P)

ABSRACT

The graft compatibility of bitter gourd scion with sponge gourd rootstock was evaluated. shoot grafting method was used. Graft survival ranged between 86 and 90 % for bitter gourd grafted on sponge gourd root stock. Grafting in bitter gourd is beneficial as an aid in propagating the high yielding hybrids of bitter gourd at cheaper cost

INTRODUCTION

In herbaceous plants like vegetables and ornamentals grafting is useful for the study of the physiology of roots and shoots, plant-virus relationships, grafting compatibility as well as for the commercial greenhouse production of certain cucurbita ceous crops. Grafting is a popular technique in the greenhouse production of cucumbers or tomatoes in Japan. Disease resistant rootstocks are commonly used for the grafting of susceptible scions. This is especially applicable in poly houses that were built or suited only for a particular type of vegetable and cannot be easily modified. In cucurbits, grafted plants were observed to have strong vigor, growth, resistant to wilt diseases and were able to develop well under low temperatures (1, 2, ). However, among the cucurbits, studies on the use of grafting on bitter gourd ( Momordica charantia L.) were lacking even though bitter gourd is a very popular vegetable and highly acclaimed for its medicinal properties Hence, this study was conducted to assess the graft compatibility of bitter gourd with sponge gourd ( Luffa cylindrica L.) root stock with shoot grafting under poly house conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS Four high yielding varieties of bitter gourd namely (1)Green Long (2) Ruchi (3) Abhishek and (4) Lakshya were used as scion . Local variety of sponge gourd ( Luffa cylindrica ) was used as root stock .One hundred seedlings of sponge gourd for each of four varieties of bitter gourd were used as root stocks. Young shoots of about 3-5 cm long from fifteen days old bitter gourd ( Momordica charantia L.) plants were taken as scions. Grafting was done on sponge gourd stocks at 30 days after sowing (DAS) when the stem was 5 cm in diameter. Shoot grafting techniques was followed under poly house conditions of reduced light and heat intensity to minimize injury to the newly forming graft union. Successful grafts were then transplanted 14 days after grafting at the horticultural experimental field of Regional Agricultural Research Station Anakapalli of A.N.G.R Agricultural University Plant observations were made through vegetative, flowering and fruiting stages. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION In the present study, graft compatibility was assessed in terms of percent survival of grafted plants and yield and yield Parameters during vegetative and fruiting stages. The stock and scion may be highly compatible however; grafting is influenced by the technique used and the management during the growth period. The technique used in this study is shoot grafting ((Reyes )since young shoots from at least two-week old seedlings or from mature plants can serve as the scion. Sponge gourd seedlings attained a graftable growth of 3- 5 mm stem diameter at 30 DAS and has a firm and less succulent stem. From Table 1 it is evident that bitter gourd c.v Lakshya grafted on sponge gourd rootstock had higher percent survival (90%) than other three varieties. Among grafted bitter gourd varities Green long took a maximum of 69 days to to record 50 percnt flowering where as a minimum of 58 days was taken by Abhishek .Non grafted i.e seedling bitter gourd plants took 72 days to reach 50 % flowering Thus it is very obivious that grafted bitter gourd plants attained early flowering which is a desirable trait in breeding program and also beneficial to farmers. plant height was higest( 3.61 mts )in grafted Ruchi variety and was lowest in Green long. The grafted Lakshya gave a maximum yield of 46.20 q/ha ,where as Ruchi yieded 39.31 q/ha. Grafted bitter gourd can be exploited especially if the scions are taken from 60-75 day-old plants. In that case, the root stocks can be planted anytime as long as there is a standing crop which can be a good source of scion. In the breeding of bitter gourd, individual plant selection is done in every generation during observational trials. limited seed is obtained from individual plant selections due to limited number of fruits per plant and few seeds per fruit. Where as grafting of bitter gourd selections is useful in multiplying and maintaining the desirable genotypes. Furthermore, earliness among grafted bitter gourds can add up to the advantage of this method. . CONCLUSION From the study, bitter gourd scion ( Momordica charantia ) is graft compatible with sponge gourd ( Luffa cylindrica ) rootstocks. Sponge gourd can serve as a better rootstock considering earliness to flowering ,fruit size and yield of grafted plants. Grafting can be a useful aid in the breeding of bitter gourd and production of plants at cheaper rate. The farmers can minimize their expenditure on the seed cost and reduce the cost of cultivation ACKNOWLEDGMENT I express my utmost and profound gratitude to Dr.P.Raghava Reddy ,Vice-Chancellor ANGRAU ,Hyderabad for encouragement and camaraderie in the conduct of the experiment in State Plan Project- Export oriented Agriculture REFERENCES 1. Masuda, M. and K. Gomi. 1984. Mineral absorption and oxygen consumption in grafted and non-grafted cucumbers. Japanese Soc. Hort. Sci. 52(4):414-419. 2. Qi Chun Zhang and Yuan Zhenzhen. 1984. Cucurbita ficifolia - best stock for cucumber. Zhongguo Shucai. 2:39-40;62. ..

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Figure 1. A20-day old rootstock (bottlegourd) with 3-5 Figure 2. Removal of the true leaves leaving the mm stem diameter. cotyldonary leaves intact.

Figure 4. The stick pierce the stock at a depth of 5 Figure 3. Piercing the center of the rootstock by a mm. hedge-shape stick.

Figure 5. The shoot (scion) is taken from a 2-week old seedling or from mature plants.

Figure 6. The scion is cut in a similar shape as the piercing stick.

Figure 7. Suitable scion is 5 cm long. Figure 8. The wooden stick is replaced by the scion.

4 Figure 9. The scion stick to the rootstock after 3-5 hours Figure 10. Successful grafts at 7 days after transplanting. and successful grafts are determined after 24 hours.

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Gourd