EFFECT OF DEFOLIATION TIME OF SCION SHOOTS AND AGE OF ROOTSTOCK ON SUCCESS AND GRAFT DEVELOPMENT IN MANGO (Mangefra indica L.) CV. ZEBDA

This investigation was carried out in the Horticulture Research Station, El-Kasasin, Ismailia Governorate during the tow successive seasons of 2005 and 2006, to study the effect of defoliation period of scion shoots and age of rootstock on grafting success and subsequently graft growth. Defoliation periods were 0.0, 4.0, 8.0 and 12.0 days prior grafting process and age of rootstocks were 1.2 and 3-years-old. Defoliation was conducted at 20^th , 24^th , 28^th of March and 1^st April and grafting process made 1^st April. The obtained results showed that, defoliation of scion shoots and age of rootstock significantly affected graft success percentage and graft growth. The best treatment in this concern was defoliation period of 8 days prior detachment and grafting on 1-year-old rootstock which gave the highest success percentage, the shortest time for sprouting, the highest survival percentage, the highest length and diameter values, number of leaves per graft and the highest total leaf area. Healing zone was completely formed after 56 days with samples taken from 8 days defoliation prior grafting process and grafted on 1-year-old rootstock. However, other treatments formed the union zone after 63 days from grafting.