With the objective of verifying the influence of mother plant physiological factors, grafting timing and methods of umbu trees (Spondias tuberosa Arruda) on grafting success rates, five experiments were carried out under nursery conditions at Embrapa Semi-Arid, Petrolina, Pernambuco State, Brazil. The experiments were installed in January, March, May, July and September 1998. A randomized complete-block design was used with three treatments and eight repetitions. The treatments were: cleft and whip grafting and inverted "T" budding. The grafts were collected according to the mother plant phenological cycle corresponding to the vegetative, reproductive dormancy stages, when the evaluations of the physiological factors were performed. The physiological factors (photosynthesis, water potential, and stomatal conductance) of the mother plants at the different phenological stages did not affect the rate of grafting success rates. The clef and whip grafting yielded average success rates of 97,1 and 92,4%, respectively. The grafts harvested at the different phenological stages of the mother plant, did not affect the rate of success of the grafting methods, what extends the offer of nursery plants along the year , due to availability of grafts
Spondias tuberosa; grafting e propagation
