Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Vegetative propagation techniques in fruit trees are evaluated based on grafting success rate, labor efficiency, and ease of transporting genetic material.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
- Assertion (A) is correct: Veneer and stone grafting are highly efficient, successful, and standardized detached-scion propagation techniques for mango.
- Reason (R) is correct: Unlike traditional inarching (which requires the rootstock to be physically close to the mother tree), detached-scion methods rely on defoliated scion sticks.
These scion sticks can be wrapped in moist material, transported over long distances, and remain viable for 5 to 6 days.
This ease of transport is the primary reason why detached methods have replaced attached grafting.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Both (A) and (R) are correct, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).