Okyong mango is a popular species among hobbyists for planting in their yards due to its sweet fruit and the shade provided by the tree. The tree can also be used for greening purposes.
Okyong mangoes are propagated through grafting, which is considered the best method for mango tree propagation. This involves attaching stem buds from a tree with quality fruit to the rootstock of a tree with strong roots and trunk.
The following instructions explain how to graft an okyong mango plant.
A. Select a rootstock that is healthy and looks fresh. Stem diameter at least 1.2 cm, height at least 50 cm, or 6 months old from seedling.
B. The bud eye is taken from a scion that is also healthy, strong, and free of pests and diseases.
C. Wrinkle the rootstock horizontally 2 cm wide at a maximum height of 20 cm from the root collar. Pull the bark of the wrinkled stem down until it peels off 2 cm, then cut it 2/3 to create a window in the rootstock. Be careful not to lose the cambium as it is what holds the rootstock together with the bud eye.
D. Prepare the bud eye. Remove the bark from the branch about 1 cm from the bud, then peel off the bud and some wood. The size of the bud eye will match the size of the window on the rootstock. Do this in the shade.
E. Attach the bud eye to the window on the rootstock. This is usually done when the plant is flowering. Tie the bud tab with plastic from bottom to top to keep it out of the rain.
F. Untie the graft after 3-4 weeks.
