The investigation was carried out at Mahatma Phule
Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri. Local seedling originated forty
years old mango orchard consisting 216 trees was selected
for beheading. The experiment was conducted in Factorial
Randomized Block Design with three replications. Two
mango trees per replication were selected. The first factor
comprised of year round beheading of local mango trees at
monthly interval while, the second factor comprised of
three scion varieties (viz. Kesar, Ratna and Sindhu) for
wedge grafting. In second fortnight of every month,
mango trees were headed back at 2m height from the
ground level for a year; commencing from March, 2010 to
February, 2011 by keeping well-spaced 2-4 primary
branches on main trunk. For heading back, a sharp slanting
cut towards inner side of branch was given to enhance the
sprouting of apical buds from the periphery. To take care
of pest and disease, the trunks were washed with carbaryl
@ 4 g/l, after scrapping of old back of beheaded trees and
cut portion of branches were pasted with copper
oxychloride (10%) as a preventive measures. It was
followed by applying thick layer of cow dung on cut
portion of beheaded trees to avoid excessive sap flow from
pruned limbs and also to accelerate healing of pruned
apical portion [17]. Immediately after beheading
additional dose of one kilogram of Suphala (15:15:15
NPK) was applied to each tree, followed by irrigation. A
recommended dose of fertilizer consisting 50 kg FYM and
1.5:0.5:0.5 kg NPK was applied to each tree in the month
of June followed by irrigation. Alternate spray of Bavistin
@ 2g/l + Curacron @ 2.5 ml / l or Captan @ 2g/l +
Carbaryl @ 2g /l at monthly interval were given to prevent
incidence of pest and diseases.
After sprouting, only 5-10 healthy apical shoots were
retained on headed back branches for grafting. Regularly
excessive bud sprouts on the main trunk and branches
were immediately pinched off at weekly interval for
healthy canopy management. Wedge grafting on selected
apical stock-shoots of beheaded tree was undertaken
within 5-10 weeks period, when copper red leaves of new
stock-shoots turned to green colour, coupled with 5-10mm
diameter of stock. A matured scion stick of same size was
selected for grafting. Grafting was done at monthly
interval from Jun, 2010 to May, 2011. Observations on
growth parameters prior and after grafting in mango top
working were recorded. Initial and final success and
survival of grafts was evaluated at 30 and 90 days after
grafting, respectively. A method described by Surulivelu
[16] was employed for assessing the monthly cumulative
incidence extent of larval infection of mango stem borer.
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
A. Effect of Tree Beheading on Growth Parameters
Prior to Grafting in Mango Top working
The data presented in Fig.1 revealed that the maximum
n