The technology aimed to reduce the import of clonal rootstocks from other countries and a major step towards the Viksit and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
The Institute Technology Management Unit of ICAR-Central Institute of Temperate Horticulture, Srinagar, organised a Technology Transfer Meeting where the ‘Robust and high throughput apple clonal rootstock multiplication technology under controlled/open conditions for enhancing domestic supply and reducing the import of apple rootstocks” was transferred to 13 nursery growers and progressive farmers of Himachal Pradesh and 7 of Jammu & Kashmir, by signing a Memorandum of Understanding. The technology aimed to reduce the import of clonal rootstocks from other countries and a major step towards the Viksit and Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
The vertical expansion through air layering has been accomplished in commercially important clonal rootstocks, including (M9-Pajam, M-9-T337, M-9-T339, MM-106, MM-111, B-9, P-22, and M-27) by using this technique. The technology involves the induction of the wound, followed by the supplementation of suitable media and phytohormones at a specified time and position. Through this technology, an additional four to five good-quality rootstocks within one year will be obtained, which thus increases the multiplication rate significantly and saves time. One more additional benefit of this technology is that under greenhouse conditions, a rootstock attains a sufficient girth, above (6 mm) and becomes available for budding (95% success rate in budding) during the current year only, and thus budded plants can be produced directly in the rootstock nursery, saving time and cost significantly.
Dr. M. K. Verma, Director, ICAR-CITH, chaired the meeting along with the scientists of the Institute, farmers, and nursery growers from different regions of the country, both in hybrid mode. The technology was licensed to 13 growers with a license fee of Rs 5000/= for 8 years.
Dr. Wasim H. Raja, lead developer of the technology, highlighted the importance of the technology and its benefits, as it promotes the vertical expansion of the nursery and the number of plants per unit area can be increased 4 times, utilizing very little input cost.
