Effect of cultivars and season on grafting success in sapota under Paschim Midnapur conditions of West Bengal.

Two sets of experiments were carried out during 2007-08 to assess incompatibility of sapota cultivars to softwood grafting, and to find out the best time for softwood grafting, in a private orchard at Jhargram of Paschim Midnapore, West Bengal. Considerable variation in success of softwood grafting among sapota cultivars was observed. Among ten cultivars studied, CO-2 showed highest compatibility with Khirnee rootstock to softwood grafting, followed by Cricket Ball and DSH-2. There was a total failure in graft-take in cultivars CO-1, DSH-1 and Guthi. Softwood grafting success was highest in sapota when carried out on 1 st July (72%) followed by 15 th August (70%), 5 th June (62%) and 15 th June (56%).