Success StoryLearning to graft pawpaw trees as a means to improve yield



Learning to graft pawpaw trees as a means to improve yield

Author: Sheri Crabtree

Planning Unit: Agriculture and Natural Resources Programs

Major Program: Home & Consumer Horticulture

Outcome: Initial Outcome

Pawpaw is a native fruit to Kentucky; therefore many small farmers harvest fruit from wild pawpaw trees in woodlands or farmland for sale at local farmers markets, or homeowners may grow seedlings on residential lots. Wild and seedling pawpaws produce fruit that is small and low yielding compared to improved cultivars. Wild and seedling trees may also have poor flavor and texture to the fruit, leading to poor consumer acceptance of the fruit. Two pawpaw grafting workshops were held in Frankfort, KY with a total of 48 participants. Participants learned the bark inlay, chip budding, and saddle methods of grafting, and grafted 2 potted pawpaw trees utilizing these methods to take home and plant. The information gained at these workshops will enable participants to graft their wild and seedling trees with improved cultivars, and plant two new trees per person to maximize genetic diversity. Improved pawpaw cultivars may produce up to 50 lb of fruit per tree at maturity, leading to a potential crop of 100 lb of pawpaw fruit per year for these participants, or more if they graft additional wild trees. Some participants were small farmers and some were hobbyists, therefore positive outcomes should be seen both in commercial horticulture, with increased yields and fruit quality for growers that attended these workshops and grafted trees; and for homeowners that are now equipped to grow better quality fruit for home use.






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