Propagation

1. Root Suckers

➢ Plants are planted in partial shade after flowering.

➢ Ample of irrigation and manuring/fertilizer are applied for encouragement of root suckers.

➢ When root suckers are 10-15 cm height they are separated in February-March and planted in small pots and later on bigger pot.

2. Terminal Cutting : most commercially adopted

➢ Healthy stock plants are taken from mid to end of June.

➢ 5-7 cm long cutting are made by shearing basal leaves.

➢ Cuttings are planted in beds or pot and kept is partial shade.

➢ Spray water 4-5 times/day and rooting takes place in 2-3 weeks after planting.

➢ Fungicide (Captan 0.3%) can be mixed in water to avoid rotting in cutting.

3. Seeds : Annual types are generally raised by seed

➢ This method of propagation is used by breeders to evolve new varieties.

➢ In majority of varieties seed set is less due to self-incompatibility and lack of pollination by honeybees.

4. Micro propagation can also be practiced for large scale, year round and virus free planting materials