In a work carried out at the Experimental Station of Bebedouro of the
Centro de Pesquisa Agropecuaria do Tropico Semi-Arido of Embrapa, in P
etrolina, PE, Brazil, in 1993, Barbados cherry and budding methods wer
e studied. In randomized blocks with split-plot design and six replica
tions, three vegetative propagation methods (cleft grafting, patch bud
ding, splice grafting) were used as the main treatments, whereas prote
ction of the graft or bud by a plastic bag and no protection, were use
d as subtreatments. Ten plants per plot and five plants per subplot in
six replications were used. Patch budding gave the best results among
the propagation techniques studied, with a high success percentage (8
6.7%), when the bud was protected. The protection of the graft or bud
by plastic bags increased consistently the success percentage for all
grafting and budding methods studied.