1. Introduction: Custard apple is important dry land horticultural crop of Maharashtra. Pune district stands first in the state with respect to area and production. Custard apple is commercially propagated by budding which has a low success rate, process is cumbersome and plantlets are less vigorous. Soft wood grafting of custard apple is easy, with higher success and production of healthy plantlets. Poly house production and subsequent hardening further improves the plant quality and number.

2. Custard Apple Cultivars: Cultivars of custard apple available in India Washington, Hyderabad selection, Mammoth, Red custard apple, and Balanagar. The cultivar Balanagar is recommended for Maharashtra state. Farmers from Maharashtra grow Hyderabad selection and Balanagar on commercial basis.

3. Root stock Selection: Ramphal (Annona reticulata) or local custard apple is used as root stock for grafting desired variety of custard apple. Fresh, mature and healthy seeds from vigorous, disease-free mother plants are selected and soaked in water for 24 hours. Seed are treated with 0.1% carbendazim and then sown at the depth of 2 cm in poly bag. Poly bag of 17.5 cm X 15 cm size are filled with garden soil, sand and well decomposed FYM in equal proportion (1:1:1). The bags are perforated at its base for facilitating drainage. 12-15 months old, pencil thick rootstock are selected. 2-3 cm deep V- shaped cut is made on rootstock at 10cm above ground.

4. Scion Selection: Scion stick must be selected from mother plants on the basis of following criteria: 1.Desired Variety 2.Vigorous and healthy growth. 3.High and good quality yield. 4.Mature growth 5.Resistant to local pest and disease attacks.

5. Grafting is recommended from November to February when custard apple naturally sheds leaves and goes into dormancy. Selected Scion stick must be 9 to 12 months old. Top 20 percent portion of scion stick in removed before grafting. A slanting cut of 2.5 to 3 cm is given on both sides of the scion base. Scion base is then inserted into the cut on rootstock. The graft union is gripped with polythene strip till the union takes place. Softwood Grafting of Custard Apple:

7. Custard apple grafts need to be watered regularly for 4 to 6 months right from grafting operation to time of sale. Grafts should be watered every two days. Micro sprinklers should be used in nursery for maintaining humidity during summer hot months to ensure success of grafts. Water Management:

8. F.Y.M is source of nutrients for grafts. Poly bags are drenched in 19:19:19 NPK fertilizer solution regularly. Aphids attack new flush on sprouting scion. Spraying Methyl demeton / dimethoate @ 0.05% and carbendazim 0.1% after every 15 days is effective. Nursery Care: Grafts are shaded during summer. Weeding and removal of sprouts on rootstock should be done after every 15 days. Weeding

9. 1.Scion and rootstock should have appropriate thickness and age. 2. Naturally defoliated scion stick must be collected from disease & pest free orchards. 3.The tip of scion stick must be removed at the time of grafting. 4.The grafting should be done 10 cm above the ground level. 5.Grafts must be hardened in shade house after union. 6.Nursery and graft care practices must be followed including weeding, removal of sprouts from rootstock, spraying of pesticides, and fertigation. Quality Parameters: