Vegetative Propagation of Garcinia kola (Heckel)

Garcinia kola (Heckel) is one of the indigenous fruit trees that have great economic potential for poverty alleviation because of its contribution to food security, medicinal value and its economic multiplier effects. Most tropical forest fruit trees have the problem of long gestation; hence modern farmers are not ready to wait for a long period of time, therefore low investment attraction. A trial on the grafting and budding of G. kola was successfully carried out in Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria (FRIN), Ibadan, Nigeria using the Modified Cleft Grafting (MCG) and chip budding. The level of success was higher in grafting (85%) and low in budding (25%). Data were recorded and analysed for height, number of leaves and collar diameter of seedlings for twelve weeks. There was no significant difference in height between the two methods of propagation viz., grafting and budding. The process of grafting and budding are discussed. With this low level technological input of grafting and budding, the potential for conservation of G. kola and its attraction in Agroforestry system could be enhanced.