Growth and Yield of Nutmeg Budded on Wild (Myristica beddomei King) and Cultivated (Myristica fragrans Houtt) Rootstocks

Author: S.C. Priyanka, N. Miniraj and H.C. Vikram

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Abstract

Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans Houtt.) is commercially propagated through budding rather than grafting. Nutmeg plants budded on wild nutmeg rootstock as well as self-rootstock are popular, but their performance exhibits variation across the locations. Rootstock-scion interaction studies are of high relevance in this perennial tree spice. Very less information is available on the field performance of budded nutmeg trees on various rootstocks. The present study was conducted with the objective of assessing the performance of nutmeg trees budded on self (Myristica fragrans) and wild rootstock (Myristica beddomei) in terms of growth and yield. Five budded trees on wild and self-nutmeg rootstock each were purposively selected in the five districts of Kerala. Six morphological and ten yield characteristics were recorded from the selected trees for two consecutive years. Univariate analysis of variance was performed to understand the extent of variation in performance of the budded nutmeg trees on self as well as wild rootstocks. Out of thirteen quantitative morphological and yield characteristics studied, eleven characteristics recorded significantly higher values in the trees budded on self-rootstock. Significantly higher yield characteristics obtained in the trees budded on self-rootstock were high fresh nut (6.93kg/tree) and mace yield per tree (5.19 kg/tree); dry nut (1.92 kg /tree) and mace yield per tree (1.04 kg/tree); and dry kernel yield per tree (3.84 kg/tree). Irrespective of location and altitude, the overall performance of nutmeg trees budded on self-rootstock (Myristica fragrans) was superior than the trees budded on wild rootstock (Myristica beddomei).

Keywords

Nutmeg, Myristica fragrans, Myristica beddomei, self-rootstock and wild rootstock

Conclusion

This is the first report on comparative evaluation of growth and yield of nutmeg plants budded on self-rootstock as well as wild rootstock. Considering all the growth and yield parameters together, irrespective of location and altitude, plants budded on self-rootstock (Myristica fragrans) were superior when compared to the plants budded on wild rootstock (Myristica beddomei).

References

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How to cite this article

S.C. Priyanka, N. Miniraj and H.C. Vikram (2023). Growth and Yield of Nutmeg Budded on Wild (Myristica beddomei King) and Cultivated (Myristica fragrans Houtt) Rootstocks. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(3): 1269-1275.