Grafting is one of the most popular techniques for plant propagation and is essential in fruit plant cultivation. It consists
This operation allows obtaining stronger specimens with specific characteristics and sometimes has the purpose of increasing the number of fruits. In addition, this technique is often used to contain the vigor of the plant and control its production.
The main objectives of grafting for fruit plants are:
- Keep the genetic characteristics of the desired varieties unaltered. The characters of the variety you wish to produce remain unaltered, which would not be achieved by sexual multiplication.
- Improving weather resistance.
- Making plants more resistant to pest and fungal attacks.
- Contain plant vigor and control plant production.
- Making the plant more long-lived.
- Adapt cultivation to numerous soil conditions. In this way, it makes it possible to choose rootstocks that are better suited for certain soil and climate conditions.
Grafting components affect each other, so it is essential to choose carefully the type and time of year in which to perform this operation. In addition, it is critical that scion and rootstock are compatible.
In this practical guide we will explore everything you need to know about grafting for fruit crops.
Ideal conditions for installation
Although this technique is well established in our context, it is not easy to apply. In fact, precise conditions are necessary for the two parties to be able to successfully coexist.
Here are the circumstances to be observed when installing a graft:
- Affinity: the two plants must be botanically related, otherwise grafting will not be successful. The best possible condition occurs when these belong to the same botanical species, even if they are of two different varieties(intervarietal grafting). However, grafting is also possible between two plants of the same genus but different species(interspecific grafting).
- Polarity: the two parts must be oriented in the correct way. The lower part of the scion should face downward, while the upper part should face upward.
- Overlapping: the areas of the scion and rootstock cambium must precisely match and touch, overlapping in two places, in order to communicate. For grafting to take place, this step is critical, as the tissues used to transport sap and nutrients must join precisely.
Regarding the ideal time for performing grafting, the best season depends strongly on the technique chosen and the climatic conditions of the area where grafting is done. Most grafting is done in late winter and late summer, as the air temperature is neither too low nor too high and the plant has adequate vegetative activity.
Choosing the best time for grafting
As mentioned earlier, the time of year when grafting is performed is critical to the success of the operation, to reduce the vigor of the plant, adjust its fruit load, and obtain high quality fruit. In fact, the season affects the rooting ability and development of the plant.
Since each species has a different biological cycle that varies depending on factors such as humidity and growth, it is good to know the best times. Below you will find specific advice on when to graft certain fruit trees, keeping in mind that they may vary depending on the technique chosen:
- Lemons: the best time varies depending on the technique chosen. It often ranges from May to September
- Cherry tree: the best time of year changes depending on the grafting technique chosen. It can be done in late summer if you want to do a dormant bud graft or at the vegetative resumption, which is from about late February/March depending on temperatures, before the plant starts to develop new shoots.
- Fig tree: the ideal period is between late winter and late spring, that is, the period coinciding with vegetative rebirth.
- Olive tree: after the end of winter and the beginning of spring is the best time for grafting, when the plant is in the process of vegetative recovery.
- Grapevine: the optimal time coincides with early spring, during the vegetative phase of the plant.
Techniques for grafting fruit trees.
Depending on the conditions previously described and the plant to be grafted, there are different techniques. It is very important to choose the right graft in order to achieve the desired results.
Below, we will explore the most common techniques for grafting fruit plants.
Bud grafting
Bud grafting
, also called “eye” grafting, is the most common for fruit trees and is done using the buds of the plant’s branches. It is usually very successful in young plants with tender bark, which is lifted to insert the bud of the scion. This technique is simple, has a high rooting rate and is recommended for plants such as apple, pear, citrus, cherry and apricot trees.
Bud grafts that are done from January to June are called “vegetative,” because the buds of the scion bud in a short time. In contrast, those done from July to September are called “dormant,” because the buds will open the following spring, following winter rest.
In turn, bud grafts can be performed in different ways:
- A zufolo: a practice also called “ring” is performed in summer and two horizontal cuts are made on the rootstock to remove a ring of bark, leaving it attached only by a vertical rectangle, which allows sap to pass through. The latter is also made on the branch from which the scion is taken. Finally, the cylinder of bark containing the bud is inserted into the debarked ring of the rootstock, adhering them together.
- Shield-shaped: also called T-shaped because of the shape of the cut on the bark, which is made at the bottom, near the collar of the rootstock plant. Then the bark flaps are spread apart and the bud of the rootstock is embedded in it. Then the flaps are closed again and everything is banded.
- Double shield: a very special graft, in that it involves a third intermediary plant in case there is no affinity between graft and rootstock.
- Piecing: a technique similar to clodding, but instead of taking a ring, a rectangle of bark containing the bud to be grafted is taken. The latter must then be made to match perfectly with a corner of the debarked rectangle taken from the rootstock.
Scion grafting
Scion grafting
involves the insertion of a scion through different application techniques, such as splitting, crown or triangle. The best time to perform this varies according to the species to be grafted and is done at two times of the year:
- February-April: the best time for most trees, as the sap begins to circulate, but the plant is not yet in full growth.
- May-June: the most suitable time for plants that require higher temperatures.
This type of grafting makes it possible to renew old trees and improve fruit quality. In addition, they are ideal for trees with large diameter trunks.
What to do after performing grafting
After grafting on plants, it is good to do some operations for its maintenance. Here are the main ones:
- Tying is the first operation to be performed and allows for good fusion without damaging the plant as it grows.
-
Close wounds
made with special mastics or resins in order to joke the entry of pathogens. - Irrigate regularly.
- Eliminate suckers, which take energy away from the plant.
- Pay attention to signs of rooting and that the scion does not give off aerial roots.
Plantvoice: the intelligent graft
Plantvoice
is a startup that has patented hi-tech grafting. It is an innovative technology that can monitor plant health. Minimally invasive, about the size of a toothpick, it is inserted into the plant’s trunk and continuously analyzes its vital parameters such as sap flow, salinity and conductivity. This data is then sent to artificial intelligence software that analyzes it in real time and can be accessed at any time via a dedicated app.
Using advanced tools such as this “smart grafting” allows you to identify any plant deficiencies or suffering and take immediate action to safeguard your crops.
Plantvoice grafting represents a real revolution for agriculture, as it is one of the first phytosanitary IoT devices that are inserted directly into plant tissues.
