CRS 321: FRUIT CROP PRODUCTION

Propagation of Fruit Crops

Introduction
• Fruit crops are grown primarily for the
production of fruits and other plant parts for
human consumption;

• They provide shade and wind breaks for homes

and some field crops;

• They provide sources of essential food nutrients

needed for body function.
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University of Benin
CRS321
Commercial Purposes
• Commercial fruit crop production has become
popular and planting materials are in high
demand, such that local nurseries can not
supply adequate quantities of these planting
materials.

Department of Crop Science

University of Benin
CRS321
 Propagation Methods
• Propagation in fruit crops is done sexually by
seeds or asexually (vegetatively) by other
plant parts other than seeds.

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University of Benin
CRS321
 Propagation by Seeds

• Examples of fruit crops that are commonly grown

from seeds
-Guava –Cashew –Pawpaw –Coffee –Kola –Oil Palm

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University of Benin
CRS321
Structure of a Seed

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University of Benin
CRS321
 Criteria for selecting fruits for seed
extraction
• The fruits should possess the desired
characteristics such as size, shape, colour,
taste, keeping quality.

• They should be fully matured, borne on

vigorous and healthy trees.

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University of Benin
CRS321
Preparing Seeds for Sowing

• From selected fruits seeds are extracted,

washed and dried in shade for a few days.

NOTE: Seeds of Papaya, citrus and mangoes

tend to lose their viability soon after
extraction, hence should be sown within a
week of their extraction.

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University of Benin
CRS321
 Advantages of Sexual Propagation
Methods
1. Seedling trees are generally long-lived, bear
more heavily and comparatively more hardy.
Why?
Response: That’s because trees grown from seed
have stronger root systems, they tend to
anchor firmly, and absorb nutrients better

Department of Crop Science

University of Benin
CRS321
2. It is the only means of reproduction where
vegetative propagation is;
- not easy ( as in citrus)
- not possible (as in pawpaw because it has no
cambium)
- or not economical (as in cashew, guava)

Department of Crop Science

University of Benin
CRS321
3. It is essential in the production of hybrid,
because hybrids are first raised from seeds
4. It offers possibility of chance seedlings of high
quality, for example Washington Navel, which
arose as a chance mutant from a seedling
orange. Chance seedlings are fruits species
that grow unintentionally, a variety different
from what was planted.

Department of Crop Science

University of Benin
CRS321
5. Seedlings are easier and cheaper to raise.
6. Seedling are generally free from viruses.
7. Seeds of some fruits like citrus and mango
varieties are capable of giving out more than
one seedling from one seed. They arise from
the cells of the nucleus and are called poly-
embryonic. These nuclear seedlings can be
utilized for raising uniform plants, if they can be
carefully detected at the nursery stage.

Department of Crop Science

University of Benin
CRS321
 Disadvantages of Sexual Propagation
Methods
1. Lack of Uniformity in growth, yield capacity and
fruit quality compared to grafted trees.
2. It takes longer time to bear the maiden crop
compared to the grafted trees. This means that
plants come into bearing late.
3. Larger trees are uneconomical to handle, i.e., cost
of harvesting, pruning and spraying is more.
4. The exact characters of any superior selection
cannot be perpetuated through seed. To multiply
superior hybrids, vegetative methods have to be
employed

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University of Benin
CRS321
Vegetative Propagation Methods

• These are used in majority of cases in fruit

propagation. Some techniques include;
Grafting, Budding, Cutting, Separation and
Division.

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University of Benin
CRS321
BUDDING
Grafting
CUTTING
Advantages of Vegetative Propagation
Methods
1. Production of fruit plant that are uniform in
growth, yield capacity, and fruit quality are
possible.
2. Uniformity of fruits makes harvesting and
marketing easy.
3. They come into bearing earlier than seedling
trees
4. Fruit size, fruit quality and precocity(early
bearing) can be regulated to one’s requirement
by using different root-stocks
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University of Benin
CRS321
5. Grafting can be used to encourage growing
together which can aid healing of true wounds
caused by rodents, rabbits or implements.
6. Several cultivars of almost any fruit species
can be grown on a single tree of the same,
and in some cases different species on one
stock, several varieties of sweet orange can be
grown.

Department of Crop Science

University of Benin
CRS321
7. It is possible with vegetative method to correct
to some extent the initial mistake of choosing
inferior or unsuitable varieties in orchard. By
top working these with desired varieties such
trees may start bearing in two or three years
without their removal and replanting.
8. In case of seedless varieties, such fruit species
can only be grown vegetatively. Examples
Banana, Pineapple and some varieties of grape.

Department of Crop Science

University of Benin
CRS321
 Disadvantages of Vegetative
Propagation of fruit crops
1. Such plants are not so vigorous and long-lived
as the seedling trees.
2. New variety cannot be evolved by this
method.
3. Sometimes it is expensive as it requires
special techniques.

Department of Crop Science

University of Benin
CRS321