In general, breadfruit is vegetatively propagated using root shoots or root cuttings. Other methods include air layering (marcotting), grafting, and seed propagation. In vitro (tissue culture) propagation methods are being developed. No matter the method used, young plants will grow best in shade and need some care until they are established. Mature trees prefer full sun. Breadfruit grown from seed will fruit in 5 to 10 years. Vegetatively propagated plants can produce fruit in 3 to 5 years and are clones of the mother plant, making vegetative propagation the preferred practice.

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Roots typically grow on or slightly below the surface of the ground and often produce a shoot, especially when wounded or injured. When the shoot is at least 0.3 m tall, detach it from the mother plant by severing the root 10 to 15 cm on either side of the shoot. Be careful not to damage the tender roots at the base of the shoot. Trim off the large leaves and plant in a pot with well-drained soil until the plant is larger. If directly transplanted into the field, placed in a hole amended with organic material and provide shade and keep moist until established.

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Root cuttings can be readily propagated. It is best to collect roots after the fruiting season is over and when the tree is in an active vegetative stage, producing new leaves. This generally coincides with the end of the dry season and root cuttings should be collected as the rainy season begins. This is when carbohydrate stores in the roots are highest, increasing the success rate of the cuttings. Select healthy roots growing slightly below the soil that are 1.5 to 6 cm in diameter (3-4 cm is best). Cut into 12 to 30 cm long sections. Roots should be scrubbed clean and kept moist. Plant directly into the ground in loose, organic soil or in a pot with well-drained soil. Roots can be oriented horizontally below the surface of the soil or diagonally with the upper few centimeters exposed to air.

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It is best to air layer branches when the tree is in an active vegetative stage. Select newly developed shoots (2-4 cm diameter) and do not use the ends of branches that have previously flowered or fruited. Carefully remove a 3 to 5 cm strip of the outer bark around the circumference of the branch leaving a narrow, vertical connecting strip. Wrap moistened sphagnum moss, compost, or other organic material around the area. Rooting hormone can be added, but is not required. Tie a piece of burlap, plastic, etc., around the organic material to hold it in place. After 2 to 6 months, new roots will develop and grow through the media. Remove the air layer by cutting the branch directly below the roots. Place in a pot with well-drained soil until the plant is larger and has an established root system (about one year). Transplant into the ground. Depending on the size of the original branch, air-layered branches can fruit in 3 to 4 years.

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Grafting involves uniting a bud or shoot of one plant (scion) to another plant (stock) Several methods have been successful with breadfruit, including cleft, slice, and approach grafts. A spliced approach graft is used in Samoa to graft different varieties onto a single rootstock. Thin cuts, 5 to 7 cm long, are made in equal-sized branches of the scion and stock. The two branches are carefully brought together at the wounded area and tightly wrapped. It is essential that the cambial layer (actively growing part of the branch) of each is in contact. Once the graft has fused together the scion can be separated from its parent plant.

Falesa Sooalo, a long-time employee at the Samoa Ministry of Agriculture's Nafanua Station, is expert at grafting breadfruit and other fruit trees. His son, Fafo, demonstrates how to graft the varieties 'Puou' and 'Ma'afala'.

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Remove seeds from soft, ripe fruits and wash to remove any pulp. Plant immediately because the seeds lose viability–ability to sprout and grow–within a few weeks. Seeds cannot be stored and are damaged by chilling or drying. Plant in loose, well-drained soil and keep moist, but not wet. Seeds germinate within 10-14 days. Seedlings grow quickly and are ready to plant into the field in about one year.

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In vitro (tissue culture) propagation is a proven method to vegetatively propagate and distribute plant materials that meet international plant quarantine requirements. Buds or other small vegetative parts of the plant are placed into sterile media in a test tube. They’re provided with the necessary growth hormones and nutrients to grow into a plant identical to the original source plant. Plantains, taro, sweet potatoes, yams, and other crops are widely produced using tissue culture. Farmers throughout the tropics and subtropics rely upon this technology for disease-free planting material—plants free of viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

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