What are the propagation methods for miracle fruit? A detailed guide

Miracle fruit (Synsepalum dulcificum) is a tropical evergreen shrub of the Sapotaceae family, also known as the flavor-changing berry. It originated in the region of West Africa, Ghana and Congo. It prefers high temperatures and high humidity, with an optimal growing temperature of 20-30°C. For field planting, well-drained acidic sandy soil rich in organic matter with a pH of 4.5-5.8 is used. Its main propagation methods are seed propagation, cutting propagation and air layering. Let us take a look at the propagation methods for miracle fruit below!

Seed propagation of miracle fruit

Seeds are taken from fresh, ripe fruit. Before sowing, rub off the flesh with sand, remove the skin, wash and disinfect. They should not be stored for long. Sow about 300 seeds per sq m, cover with 2 cm of fine sand, and keep the sand bed moist. They germinate in about 15 days, with a germination rate of over 100%. After the seedlings emerge, spray once a week with 0.2% urea or monopotassium phosphate. When the seedlings are 6-8 cm tall and have grown 4-5 true leaves, transplant them to a nursery for continued management. Before sowing, prepare a seedling bed, using clean, loose potting soil as the substrate. Broadcast or sow in spots on the seedling bed, cover with 2 cm of soil after sowing, control the temperature at 26-28°C, and keep the potting soil moist. They will germinate in 60-80 days. When the seedlings have 4-5 true leaves, they can be planted with their root ball into flower pots or nutrient bags filled with potting soil for cultivation and management. Seedlings grow slowly.

Cutting propagation of miracle fruit

For cutting propagation of miracle fruit, from April to June, cut semi-lignified or fully lignified branches of the current year as cuttings, about 15-20 cm long, keep the leaves on the upper 1/3 of the cutting, and cut off 1/2 of each leaf. Cut the lower end of the cutting into an axe-shaped 45-degree slant, and soak the slanted surface of the cutting in a prepared hormone solution (NAA 1000 mg per liter, i.e. 5000 times dilution) for 3-5 minutes, then insert it into clean sandy loam soil. Treating miracle fruit cuttings with hormones not only promotes rooting, but also gives a high rooting rate, early root formation, and early new leaf bud sprouting, clearly superior to direct cutting. The cutting bed should maintain a suitable relative humidity above 80% and 75% shading. Roots form in about 50-60 days, with a 70% rooting rate. After new roots form, transplant into nutrient bags and care for them in the nursery. Cutting-propagated plants can finish early and can be dwarfed in tree shape. Alternatively, soak them in a prepared 863 rooting powder solution to promote rooting.

Air layering propagation of miracle fruit

For air layering propagation of miracle fruit, from April to July, select robust 1-2 year old mature branches for layering treatment. Roots form in 60-70 days. The girdling cut for air layering should be 3-4 cm long, with neat upper and lower cuts reaching deep into the xylem; remove the bark and scrape the cambium clean. Because miracle fruit wood is hard, aerial layering is difficult to root and the propagation success rate is low. Therefore, at the girdled part, first evenly spray a prepared rooting powder solution of 500 mg per liter or IBA 500 mg per liter onto the growing medium; the medium moisture should be such that it holds together when squeezed by hand without falling apart. Use cotton to wipe the prepared rooting water once over the girdling cut, knead the medium into a fist-sized ball, and wrap the medium around the girdling cut with plastic film. Check the moisture once every 10 days; if it is found to have dried out, inject clean water with a syringe. When the new roots grow to a yellow-brown color, cut off the layered branch and heel it in with nutrient bags or flower pots, maintaining a certain degree of shade and humidity. Before final planting, gradually reduce the shade level for the heeled-in seedlings.