Article Title: Propagation Techniques for Major Fruit Crops: An Overview

Propagation is a fundamental aspect of fruit crop cultivation, influencing plant uniformity, productivity, quality, and orchard establishment. Fruit crops are propagated through sexual (seed) and asexual (vegetative) methods. Although seed propagation is useful for rootstocks, breeding, and conservation, it often causes genetic variability, delayed bearing, and inconsistent fruit quality (Dhatt & Mahajan, 2022). Therefore, vegetative propagation is preferred for most commercial fruit crops to ensure true-to-type plants, uniform growth, and early fruiting (Hartmann et al., 2011; Singh et al., 2021). Common vegetative methods include cutting, layering, grafting, budding, and suckering, selected according to species-specific requirements. T-budding is widely used in citrus (Ladaniya, 2008), while veneer grafting is preferred for mango and sapota (Naik et al., 2020). Banana and pineapple are propagated through suckers and slips, respectively (Kumar et al., 2022), whereas hardwood cuttings are suitable for fig, grape, and pomegranate.

Modern techniques such as micropropagation, synthetic seed technology, somatic embryogenesis, and cryopreservation have further enhanced the rapid multiplication and conservation of elite, disease-free, and genetically uniform planting material. Micropropagation is particularly valuable in banana, strawberry, and kiwi (Hesami & Jones, 2020). Integration of traditional and modern propagation techniques is essential for nursery management, orchard establishment, germplasm conservation, improved fruit quality, and sustainable fruit production.

Keyword:  Propagation Techniques for Fruit Crops