Several have asked about grafted vegetables and what
is the advantage. Grafting vegetables has been around for a number of years now
and has had some success in greenhouse production primarily. It started in Asia
and has spread to Europe, primarily where heavy
cropping (high yields) and disease problems can build rapidly.
So here are some Q and A’s I
grabbed from some sites to further explain it. It is not hard to do, easier
than woody plants. The method I am most familiar with is using plastic tubing
to hold the top and rootstock together until they grow together. Other methods
are done as well.
For backyard gardeners it is mostly just for fun right now but you can buy grafted transplants for the home market.
is the advantage. Grafting vegetables has been around for a number of years now
and has had some success in greenhouse production primarily. It started in Asia
and has spread to Europe, primarily where heavy
cropping (high yields) and disease problems can build rapidly.
So here are some Q and A’s I
grabbed from some sites to further explain it. It is not hard to do, easier
than woody plants. The method I am most familiar with is using plastic tubing
to hold the top and rootstock together until they grow together. Other methods
are done as well.
For backyard gardeners it is mostly just for fun right now but you can buy grafted transplants for the home market.
In vegetable production in greenhouses, most of the damage from
continuous cropping is caused by soil-borne diseases and nematodes. As a
countermeasure to the damage caused by soil-bone diseases such as Fusarium
wilt, bacterial wilt and nematodes, grafting of fruit-bearing vegetables is
popular in Japan. Plants are grafted onto various rootstock species and
varieties, by a range of grafting methods. Recently, the tube grafting method
has been developed for plugs. This is popular in the manual grafting of tomato,
eggplant and cucumber plants. Grafting robots and healing chambers have been
developed, and are used in nurseries producing grafted plugs. Since grafting
gives increased disease tolerance and vigor to crops, it will be useful in the
low-input sustainable horticulture of the future.
continuous cropping is caused by soil-borne diseases and nematodes. As a
countermeasure to the damage caused by soil-bone diseases such as Fusarium
wilt, bacterial wilt and nematodes, grafting of fruit-bearing vegetables is
popular in Japan. Plants are grafted onto various rootstock species and
varieties, by a range of grafting methods. Recently, the tube grafting method
has been developed for plugs. This is popular in the manual grafting of tomato,
eggplant and cucumber plants. Grafting robots and healing chambers have been
developed, and are used in nurseries producing grafted plugs. Since grafting
gives increased disease tolerance and vigor to crops, it will be useful in the
low-input sustainable horticulture of the future.
Application of
Grafting to Vegetable Production
The production of grafted plants first began in Japan and Korea
in the late 1920s with watermelon grafted onto gourd rootstock. Eggplant was
grafted onto scarlet eggplant in the 1950s. Since then, the area of
fruit-bearing vegetables based on grafted plants has increased. The proportion
of the area in Japan producing grafted watermelon, cucumber, melon, tomato and
eggplant reached 57% of the total production area in 1980, and 59% in 1990
in the late 1920s with watermelon grafted onto gourd rootstock. Eggplant was
grafted onto scarlet eggplant in the 1950s. Since then, the area of
fruit-bearing vegetables based on grafted plants has increased. The proportion
of the area in Japan producing grafted watermelon, cucumber, melon, tomato and
eggplant reached 57% of the total production area in 1980, and 59% in 1990
Objectives of
Vegetable Grafting
The main objective of grafting is to avoid soil-borne diseases
such as Fusarium wilt in Cucurbitaceae (Cucumber, melon etc.) and bacterial
wilt in Solanaceae (tomato, pepper etc.).
such as Fusarium wilt in Cucurbitaceae (Cucumber, melon etc.) and bacterial
wilt in Solanaceae (tomato, pepper etc.).
Species and Varieties
for Grafting
Inter-generic grafting is used in the production of many
fruit-bearing vegetables, i.e. cucumber grafted on pumpkin, watermelon, on
bottle gourd, melon on white gourd (also known as wax gourd). Inter-specific
grafting (grafting on to a different species) is generally applied to eggplant.
Scarlet eggplant and S. torvum Swartz are popular rootstock for
eggplant production. A large number of varieties for rootstock have been bred
and released for use by growers in Japan.
fruit-bearing vegetables, i.e. cucumber grafted on pumpkin, watermelon, on
bottle gourd, melon on white gourd (also known as wax gourd). Inter-specific
grafting (grafting on to a different species) is generally applied to eggplant.
Scarlet eggplant and S. torvum Swartz are popular rootstock for
eggplant production. A large number of varieties for rootstock have been bred
and released for use by growers in Japan.
Grafting Methods for
Different Types of Fruit-Bearing Vegetable
Tomato plants are mainly grafted by conventional cleft grafting.
Tube grafting has recently been developed for vegetable seedlings grown by plug
culture.
Tube grafting has recently been developed for vegetable seedlings grown by plug
culture.
Cleft Grafting
The stem of the scion (at the fair-leaf stage), and the
rootstock (at the four to five-leaf stage) are cut at right angles, each with
2-3 leaves remaining on the stem. The stem of the scion is cut in a wedge, and
the tapered end fitted into a cleft cut in the end of the rootstock. The graft
is then held firm with a plastic clip.
rootstock (at the four to five-leaf stage) are cut at right angles, each with
2-3 leaves remaining on the stem. The stem of the scion is cut in a wedge, and
the tapered end fitted into a cleft cut in the end of the rootstock. The graft
is then held firm with a plastic clip.
Tube Grafting
Tube grafting makes it possible to graft small plants grown in
plug trays two or three times faster than the conventional method. The smaller
the plants, the more plants can be fitted into healing chambers or acclimation
rooms. For this reason, tube grafting is popular among Japanese seedling
producers. The optimum growth stage for grafting varies according to the kind
of plug tray used. Plants in small cells must be grafted at an earlier growth
stage, and require tubes with a smaller inside diameter. First, the rootstock
is cut at a slant. The scion is cut in the same way. Elastic tubes with a
side-slit are placed onto the cut end of the rootstock. The cut ends of the
scions are then inserted into the tube, splicing the cut surfaces of the scions
and rootstock together.
plug trays two or three times faster than the conventional method. The smaller
the plants, the more plants can be fitted into healing chambers or acclimation
rooms. For this reason, tube grafting is popular among Japanese seedling
producers. The optimum growth stage for grafting varies according to the kind
of plug tray used. Plants in small cells must be grafted at an earlier growth
stage, and require tubes with a smaller inside diameter. First, the rootstock
is cut at a slant. The scion is cut in the same way. Elastic tubes with a
side-slit are placed onto the cut end of the rootstock. The cut ends of the
scions are then inserted into the tube, splicing the cut surfaces of the scions
and rootstock together.
Eggplant
Eggplant is grafted mainly by cleft or tube grafting. The growth
rate differs according to the species of rootstock used. The number of days from
sowing to grafting varies accordingly.
rate differs according to the species of rootstock used. The number of days from
sowing to grafting varies accordingly.
Cucumber
Tongue Approach Grafting
Slant-cut grafting is easy to do, and has recently become
popular. This grafting method was developed for robotic grafting. It is important
to remove the 1st leaf and lateral buds when a cotyledon of rootstock is cut on
a slant.
popular. This grafting method was developed for robotic grafting. It is important
to remove the 1st leaf and lateral buds when a cotyledon of rootstock is cut on
a slant.
Planting Watermelon
Cut grafting is popular for watermelon. A schematic diagram of
cut grafting is shown.
cut grafting is shown.
Melon
Melon plants are mainly grafted by tongue approach grafting. Tongue approach
grafting for melon is similar to that used for cucumber plants.
grafting for melon is similar to that used for cucumber plants.
Healing and
Acclimatization
Grafting should be carried out in a shady place sheltered from
the wind, to avoid wilting of the grafted plants. Grafted plants are usually
healed and acclimated in a plastic tunnel. The healing and acclimatization are
very important for grafted plants to survive. The tunnel is covered with
materials which provide shade and maintain inside humidity: silver/white
cheese-cloth (outside) and transparent film (inside). During acclimatization,
it is recommended to keep light levels at about 3 to 5 klx.
the wind, to avoid wilting of the grafted plants. Grafted plants are usually
healed and acclimated in a plastic tunnel. The healing and acclimatization are
very important for grafted plants to survive. The tunnel is covered with
materials which provide shade and maintain inside humidity: silver/white
cheese-cloth (outside) and transparent film (inside). During acclimatization,
it is recommended to keep light levels at about 3 to 5 klx.
Before grafting:
- Expose the scion and rootstock to sunshine for two to
three days; - Withhold water from the plants to avoid spindly growth,
and - Make sure that the scions and rootstock have stems of a
similar diameter.
After grafting, keeping the grafted plants at about 30°C and
with more than 95% relative humidity for three days of healing promotes the
survival ratio. Gradually, the relative humidity is then lowered and the light
intensity increased. During healing and acclimatization, it is important to
keep a constant air temperature in the tunnel, in order to maintain high
humidity. If wilting is observed, foliar spraying of grafted plants with water
is effective in helping them survive. The shading materials and films should be
adjusted according to the daily weather, with more shade on a fine day.
with more than 95% relative humidity for three days of healing promotes the
survival ratio. Gradually, the relative humidity is then lowered and the light
intensity increased. During healing and acclimatization, it is important to
keep a constant air temperature in the tunnel, in order to maintain high
humidity. If wilting is observed, foliar spraying of grafted plants with water
is effective in helping them survive. The shading materials and films should be
adjusted according to the daily weather, with more shade on a fine day.
Healing has also been mechanized. The survival ratio is
consistently high when the newly developed healing chambers are used. Healing
chambers in which the environment is artificially controlled are now being used
by many nurseries which produce grafted plugs.
consistently high when the newly developed healing chambers are used. Healing
chambers in which the environment is artificially controlled are now being used
by many nurseries which produce grafted plugs.
fix adapted from link to:
http://www.agnet.org/library.php?func=view&style=type&id=20110803135029
Might want to move all of those figure labels to where they belong or just remove them as they are confusing at the bottom of you post.
Thank you a great deal for this interesting post BTW as someone I know is just getting ready to try vegetable grafting.
Thanks for alerting me. Done.