Evaluation of Budding Techniques in Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L): Timing and Success

The budding technique is the primary method for sweet cherry plants to be propagated asexually. This research has been carried out at RHR & TS, Mashobra, situated near Shimla city, India, to identify the optimal timing and technique for budding, aiming to achieve the highest success rate in bud compatibility. The present study aimed to identify the most effective timing and techniques for the commercial propagation of sweet cherry plants. The experimentation took place during the periods of 2017-18 and 2018-19. The research comprised four different budding techniques, namely T-budding, chip budding, annular budding, and patch budding, as the primary plot treatments, and five distinct budding dates, specifically the 15th of May, June, July, August and September, as the subplot treatments. The findings indicated that among the four budding techniques, chip budding demonstrated the highest success rate in terms of bud-take success, with a rate of 49.24 %. Among the various budding methods, chip budding exhibited the shortest duration for bud sprouting (77 days), the highest percentage of bud sprouting (69.00 %), the greatest scion linear growth (69.76 cm), the highest count of leaves (69), the largest leaf area (25.16 cm2) and the highest proportion of saleable plants (61.58 %). Among the various budding dates examined, plants budded on May 15th exhibited the highest bud-take success rate (65.84 %). Additionally, significant values have been observed for growth parameters such as percent sprouting (69.41 %), linear growth (64.80 cm), and leaf area (22.82 cm2) on May 15th. Furthermore, study revealed that the chip budding performed between May 15th and 30th is the most effective method for sweet cherry propagation in Himachal Pradesh, offering superior growth and commercial viability.