INTRODUCTION OF A NEW FRUIT SPECIES TO EUROPE THROUGH DIFFERENT TYPES OF PROPAGATION: ASIMINA TRILOBA (L.) DUNAL

Rezumat

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba L. Dunal), also known as the Northern banana, is a temperate species belonging to the predominantly tropical family Annonaceae. In recent years, pawpaw has emerged as a promising novel fruit crop in Romania, attracting increasing interest due to its adaptability to temperate climates. This study evaluates the response of several Asimina triloba (L.) Dunal genotypes to generative and vegetative propagation methods. Although seed propagation is traditional for pawpaw, grafting remains the most effective technique for multiplying and maintaining superior cultivars for commercial orchards and germplasm conservation. The research comprised two complementary experiments. The first addressed seed propagation over several years, with seeds from distinct genotypes sown under controlled greenhouse conditions each spring. Temperature and relative humidity were optimized to ensure uniform germination and seedling growth. The second experiment focused on vegetative propagation by grafting, assessing graft success, annual growth, and the influence of grafting height on plant vigor. Rootstocks were seedlings or suckers, while scions were grafted by chip or T-budding in April–May.