Palu – Grafting time and the application of the plant growth regulator cytokinin can influence the success of jackfruit propagation. The finding was reported by Adrian Roberto Tambunan, Enny Adelina, and Adrianton from the Agrotechnology Study Program, Faculty of Agriculture, Tadulako University, Palu. The research was conducted from January to March 2025 at the Sidera Horticultural Food Crop Seedling Center in Sigi-Biromaru District. The results provide practical information for producing high-quality jackfruit seedlings because grafting can help preserve desirable traits from parent plants while supporting earlier fruit production.
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lamk.) is a tropical fruit crop widely cultivated in Indonesia and has considerable economic value. Data from Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency cited in the article showed that national jackfruit production reached 813,756 tons in 2022 before declining to 789,200 tons in 2023. The change highlights the importance of improving cultivation and propagation practices that can support the availability of quality planting materials.
Propagation through seeds has limitations because offspring may not have uniform characteristics and may require a relatively long period before producing fruit. Grafting provides an alternative vegetative propagation method by combining a rootstock with a strong root system and a scion taken from a superior parent plant. This approach is expected to preserve desirable characteristics of the parent plant in the resulting seedlings.
Grafting success depends on more than the technical accuracy of joining two plant parts. Plant physiological condition, rootstock and scion quality, tool cleanliness, temperature, humidity, compatibility between plant materials, and grafting time can all affect tissue union. Plant growth regulators, particularly cytokinin, are also considered important because they support cell division, tissue development, shoot formation, and leaf growth.
The experiment examined two grafting times, 12:00–14:00 and 15:00–16:00. The second factor consisted of five cytokinin treatments: a control without cytokinin and concentrations of 100, 150, 200, and 250 ppm. The experiment used a randomized group design with three replications. There were 30 experimental units in total, with five sample plants observed in each unit, resulting in 150 jackfruit seedlings.
The results showed that grafting at 15:00–16:00 produced faster tissue union than grafting at 12:00–14:00. The average union time was 3.62 days for afternoon grafting, compared with 4.20 days for grafting during the earlier period.
The researchers associated the stronger afternoon response with lower temperatures and higher humidity. These environmental conditions can help maintain cell turgor and reduce water loss through transpiration, supporting callus formation and tissue union between the rootstock and scion.
Differences in grafting time were also reflected in shoot growth. At three weeks after grafting, the average shoot length reached 3.97 cm in the 15:00–16:00 treatment, compared with 2.94 cm in the 12:00–14:00 treatment. By the seventh week, shoot length reached 7.50 cm and 7.33 cm, respectively.
Leaf development also favored afternoon grafting. At seven weeks, plants grafted at 15:00–16:00 produced an average of 9.73 leaves, compared with 7.93 leaves for grafting at 12:00–14:00. At eight weeks, the average reached 11.47 leaves for the afternoon treatment and 9.60 leaves for the earlier treatment.
The percentage of successful grafting was approximately 61.33 percent for the 15:00–16:00 treatment during the initial observation, compared with 60 percent for the 12:00–14:00 treatment. In terms of surviving graft unions, the afternoon treatment recorded 89.33 percent, while the earlier treatment recorded 60 percent.
Cytokinin concentration also affected several measured parameters. The 250 ppm treatment produced the fastest tissue union, at 3.79 days. The same concentration produced a grafting success rate of 73.33 percent in the reported observation and the highest number of leaves, reaching an average of 47.50 leaves at the eighth-week observation.
Overall, the analysis found no interaction between grafting time and cytokinin concentration. This means that the two factors showed their respective effects on the measured growth and grafting parameters, but their combination did not produce a significant interaction within the experiment.
The findings provide practical information for jackfruit nurseries. Grafting during the afternoon may be considered because environmental conditions at that time can support tissue union. Cytokinin at 250 ppm also showed favorable responses in several of the measured parameters.
For jackfruit cultivation, successful vegetative propagation is important for providing seedlings with more uniform characteristics. Appropriate grafting practices can help preserve the traits of superior parent plants and support the availability of planting materials for future jackfruit production.
The researchers recommend further studies covering a wider range of grafting times and plant growth regulator concentrations. Future research could examine different types of growth regulators, scion and rootstock characteristics, environmental conditions, and grafting techniques. Long-term observations are also needed to assess the effects of these treatments on plant growth, survival, productivity, and fruit quality.
About the Authors
Research Source
“The Effect of Grafting Time and Plant Growth Regulator (PGR) Application on Graft Union Success Rate in Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lamk)”
East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, Volume 5, Issue 9, 2026, pages 3731–3742.
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