Propagation of lychee: A review

Abstract

Lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) can be successfully propagated by several methods. The methods vary with respect to the uniformity and size of the new plants, the quality of the root system produced, time to bear, multiplication rate, destruction of parent tree, cost, labour requirements and the need for special techniques and equipment. Seedlings appear suitable for selection of new cultivars (and rootstocks), cuttings for rapid multiplication of new cultivars, marcottage and stooling for commercial multiplication of established cultivars and grafting for top-working new cultivars onto mature trees and/or onto improved rootstocks. Information is required on the comparative field performance of lychee propagated by these different techniques.