DETAILED LESSON PLAN IN TECHNOLOGY AND LIVELIHOOD EDUCATION (SECONDARY)

I. LEARNING OBJECTIVES 1. Identify the tools and materials for grafting 2. Cite benefits of having the skills in grafting 3. Follow the step by step of grafting 4. Perform grafting efficiently

II. SUBJECT MATTER TOPIC: GRAFTING TECHNIQUES REFERENCES: Google, Plant Propagation book MATERIALS: Visual aide, REALIA Values Integration: Appreciation and Imitation, Teamwork and Cooperation III. PROCEDURE/LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Teacher’s Activity Teacher invite the students to stand up for the opening prayer. “ Let us put ourselves in the presence of God. In the name of the Father, and of the son, and of the Holy spirit, Amen. Our Father……. Let’s thank God for entrusting another year to our borrowed life. May this year be filled with love, peace, happiness, wealth, good health, success and hope for everyone.

Graftig Techniquesn

1. In the naturepl ant species have various mechanisms for reproduction. Seeds, rooting onthe stem, tubers and suckers are the important ones. Plant propagation techniques becamepopular with modern horticulture for asexualmultiplication of commercial plants in large numbers. Grafting is anage old practice. But its commercial application and new techniquesstarted few decades ago. Tissue Culture is one morepopularasexual method of multiplicationof plants. But it is commercially successful only in soft wood plants like banana, cardamom,flower and ornamentalplant species.

2. Majority of the plants produce seeds. Then why do you need grafting? To answer thisquestion let us understand the problems of seedlings first. The male part of the plantpollen unites with the female part ovule to form seed. Due to recombination of genes the next generation plant differs in its characters than its mother plant. This variation is more evident in case of cross pollination. Hence the seedlings from a sweet mango tree may give sour fruit. Best jackfruit may become useless in next generation. Off course this is the reason for the varietal diversity in nature. But in commercial horticulture we need plants with similar characters for good quality and yield. Here the grafting techniques help us a lot.

3. Seedlings take long time to bear fruit.But the grafted plants can givefruit after 2-3 years. Grafting technique is used to escape from certain diseases in some crops. For example grafting pepper on wild pippaliis popular to avoid wilt disease. A wild type of grape called ‘Dog ridge’ can withstand drought and avoid the absorption of poisonous elements. Grafting commercial varieties on this Dog ridge brought revolution in grape production. Many ornamental plants do not produce seeds. At the same time they do not root easily from stem cuttings. For the multiplication of such plants grafting technique is inevitable. Grafting is helpful to produce composite plants with many varieties and for the rejuvenation of old trees.

4.Grafting means uniting 2 plants of the same species. Shoot of a requiredvariety plant is grafted on a seedling with astout root system. Normally 2 different species will not unite.

Even then inter specific combination is possible in citrus, sapota, grape and in few more plant species. Grafting is restricted only to dicot plants. It is not possible in monocot plants like areca nut and coconut. Graft plant is dwarf by nature since it is from a lateral shoot. It spreads wider than its height. This helps for pruning, spraying, harvesting and for other cultural operations.

5.There are few problems too with grafted plants Some grafts fail to grow in to a tree affecting the yield. In nutmeg and kokum only the shoots growing up ward are used for grafting to get good trees from graft plants.In most of the species the graft plant will not grow in to a huge tree. Hence they are not useful for timber purpose. Sometimes approach graft plants get damaged by heavy wind. Air layered plants without tap root system can not tolerate drought. Depending on the root stock you may find slight variation in the quality of the fruit of the grafted plant. Due to incompatibility between root stock and scion the graft may fail to grow properly even after the success of grafting. Few viral and bacterial diseases are transmitted through graft plants in lime and pomegranate. Even then the grafted plants play a vital role in commercial horticulture.

6.High temperature and high humidity are necessary for the success of grafting. Hence winter and heavy rainy season are not ideal for grafting. Natural climate of the sea coast is the best for the purpose. Hence most of the commercial nurseries erect poly houses for grafting. But in medium rainfall areas shade house is enough for this purpose since the temperature and humidity remains ideal in the rainy season. 7.Now let us learn about poly houses meant for plant propagation. We can categorizethem like high cost, medium cost and low cost poly houses. This is a high cost poly house built for floriculture. This is very systematic and durable. But it works out costly for propagation purpose alone. It costs Rs. 2lakhs per gunta. This is

a medium cost poly house. Poly sheet is set on iron arches. Wind damage to the poly sheet is minimaldue to its shape. Cost of construction of this poly house is around Rs. 75,000 per gunta. This is a low cost poly house. It is built with locally available wooden and bamboo poles. Technically this is no way inferior to the other types. But care is necessary to protect the poly sheet from the sharp edge of the poles. It is necessary to rebuild this after 2-3 years. It costs around Rs. 40,000 per gunta. Poly house of 1 gunta area accommodates around 10,000 plants.

8. Temperature inside the poly house is 5 to 10 centigrade higher than outside even in rainy season. We can raise the relative humidity to 90% by sprinkling water inside the poly house even in the winter. It is necessary to bring down the temperature inside by keeping the door open in hot noon hours of the summer. Success % and the growth of the graft plants are excellent in the poly house. We can retain enough heat for night hours by closing the door by evening.

9. The poly sheet used in these poly houses keeps good for 3 to 5 years. This UV stabilized poly sheet tolerates direct sun light. Put cement or apply coal tar for the wooden poles 3 to avoid termites. Select the type of poly house depending on your investment capacity. Poly house is inevitable for higher % of success and large scale multiplication of graft plants. Government provides subsidy for these poly houses. 10. This is a systematic shade house. Young graft plants need nourishment and hardening in partial shade at least for 2-3 months. The construction of this shade house is very simple and systematic. G I pipes support the structure. Upper open end of the pipe is plugged with wooden piece. Drip irrigation LLDPE pipes are spread in all direction to hold the shade net. This support is good enough to carry the shade net of light weight. G I wires stretched to the ground from the side support pipes keep the structure firm. Shade net is buried onall sides to

close the entry except the entry doors. Since the shade net allows the movement of air the structure escapes the damage due to wind. Cost of construction is bit high, but the structure keeps good at least for 5-6 years. This shade house is useful even for general nursery purpose.

11. Now let us discuss the actual subject of grafting. Graft plant has 2 parts. Lower portion is from the seedling and is called rootstock. Upper portion is from the mother plant and is called scion. Rootstock should be a sturdy disease free seedling with a strong tap root system. For mango grafts bigger mango stones of wild variety are sown in beds. These produce stout seedlings. Stone of pulp variety and the matured stones from pickle industry are also acceptable. Champaka and Rayonseeds are sown in pots or poly bags to produce rootstocks. 12. Scion should be a matured stem from fresh growth of the mother plant. It should have a dormant bulged vegetative epical bud. Scion should be free from diseases and insects like stem borer. It is better to cut off the leaves of the scion on the mother plant itself 4 days before separation. Do not pluck the leaves. But cut it off retaining the stock of the leaf on the stem itself. Use only the fresh scions for grafting. However it can be stored in a wet gunny bag for 2 days.13. The principle of grafting is same in all the methods. Two stems will join if the cambium cell layers of both stems are tied together after giving level cuts. In one more method roots are induced on the stem to get independent plant. Many methods of grafting are in practice based on this basic principle. 14. APPROACH GRAFTING: This is an age old method of grafting. This is in practice in important crop plants like mango, sapota, champakaetc. Search a twig of the mother plant which matches with the stem of the seedlingin size In commercial nurseriesground nursery of dwarf mother plants 4are maintained for the purpose of approach grafting. Otherwise a platform like this is put to facilitate grafting. Bringboth the stems together and put marks. Then give level cuts of 2 inches on both the stems. Let the cuts be of 30 to 40% of the thickness of the stems. Use sharp knife to give level cuts. Do not damage the stems with a blunt knife. Thispoint applies to all methods of grafting. Then keep both the stems together and tie with plastic tape. This tape avoids the entry of air and water inside the graft joint and avoids drying. Tying jute thread is necessary in this approach graft since both the stems are thick and stout. Now let us watch the method once again. 15. June –July months, the beginning of the rainy season is the ideal time for approach grafting. Graft takes 2 to 3 months for healing. During that period seedlings need watering. It is easy if the rain does that job. Give vertical cut on the scion below the graft jointafter the union seems perfect. Give one deeper cut after one week. This brings down the dependence of the scion on the mother plant. Scion starts absorbing water and nutrients from the seedling through the graft joint. Then

separate the graft from the mother plant. Cut off the seedling above the graft joint. Keep on removing the sprouts on the rootstock below the union. 16. We can get a bigger plant in approach grafting by selecting bigger shootfor grafting. But we can produce limited number of plants in this method. Due to the heavier upper portion sometimes the approach graft plant bends and breaks at the graft union. Watering the seedlings is a difficult task on a large scale if the rain stops. Because of all these reasons approach grafting is not being practiced by commercial nurseries. 17. What we are using here is a common plastic strip. It is not a gum tape. Soft stretchable plastic of medium thickness is folded like this and cut for 1 inch width. This plastic strip avoids air and water entering the graft joint. Remove the tape after the graft union heals completely and the plant starts growing. Otherwise it makes constriction and limits the growth. Even the plant may die. This point applies to all the methods of grafting. 18. STONE GRAFTING:The commercial nurseries producing grafts in large numbers follow stone grafting. Though this is a simple method, the success rate depends on the skill of the grafter. Stone grafting is commonly practiced in mango and cashew. Sow the stones in beds with loose soil.Seedlings will loose the tap root while pulling it out if the soil is hard. Uproot the copper colored young seedlings with entire root and the stone attached. Cut of the stem leaving 2 to 3 inches 5above the stone. Make a slit of1.5 inchwith a sharp knife. Select a scion of 4 inches in length and of pencil thickness. Give slantcut like this on both sides of the scion. Keep the scion in the slit of the root stock and tie with the plastic strip. Only the plastic is enough to hold the union since therootstock is soft. Make the packing air tight. Plant this tiny graft plant in a poly bag filled with potting mixture. Put a poly pouch on the scion and keep the graft in a poly house. Let us watch the method once again.19. Stone graft kept in an open place will fail. But in a poly house the success rate is 70 to 80%. Scion fails to sprout if the rootstock with leaves turned in to green is used. Graft fails to sprout if the stone is detached while pulling it out from the bed or at the time of grafting.

The reason is the stone is the source of food for the graft plant till the scion produces green leaves. Successful graft starts sprouting in 2 to 3 weeks. Then take out the poly pouch on the scion. Cut off the plastic strip once the union is perfect and the graft growsfast. Keep on removing the sprouts below the graft joint. 20. Stone grafting is a successful commercial method since one can produce large number of plants. The graft joint is at the base and the plant grows straight. But this method produces tiny plant which needs more time and nourishment to attain salable size. Because of this reason stone grafting is loosing popularity in recent years. Remember, poly house is essential for large scale stone grafting. 21. There is a method called double grafting in this stone method. The seedling from the stone is very weak and is almost half of thethickness of the scion. Hence twoseedlings are grafted to a single scion. This makes the graft unionstrong and the plant will get tworoot systems. Hence the growth of the graft plant will be better. Except to that the grafting method is same.22. SOFT WOOD GRAFTING:Now let us study the most popular method of grafting called soft wood grafting.This is in practice in mango, sapota, jackfruit, cashew, tamarind, brinjal, hibiscus and in many more plants. Let us graft a mango seedling first. Growseedling in a poly bag for one season. Even the older plant is useful. Grafting is on the green-‐soft portion of the plant. Hence it is called soft wood grafting. 23. The grafting method is as usual. Cut off the rootstock above the green portion of the stem. Keep few leaves below. Make a slit of 1.5 to 2 inch length. Give slant cut on both sides of the scion like this. Then keep the scion in the slit of the rootstock and tie with the plastic strip. 6Plastic is enough to keep the joint intact since the stems are soft. Ensure that the packing is made airtight.24. Few leaves are necessary below the graft joint. This is to feed the plant till the scion produces green leaves. Put a plastic pouch on the scion and keep the graft in poly housefor more % of success. However the poly house is not compulsory. Remove the pouch on the scion

as and when the scion starts sprouting. Keep on removing the sprouts below the graft joint. Otherwise the scion will die. Cut off the plastic tape after the union heals perfectly and the plant starts growing. Otherwise it will create constriction and the plant may die. Now let us watch the method once again. 25. Soft wood graftingis being used in many forms with few modifications. This is a mango seedling of unknown variety. Even if it is good it takes many years to give fruits. We can convert this in to a good variety by soft wood grafting. Cut off all the shootsleaving 3 to 4 healthy branches. Graft at soft wood portion as usual. Even we can graft different varieties to each of the branches to produce a composite tree. Many farmers plant seedlings on the farm at required spacing. Then the plants are grafted in soft wood grafting method. This is called ‘in situ’ grafting. This method gives better success rate and further growth of the plant. 26. Now let us learn one more usage of soft wood grafting. This method is being used on large scale forrejuvenation or change of variety of old mango and cashew plantations. Cut off the tree at 2 to 3 feet height from the ground in summer. It will produce many sprouts in 2-‐3 months. Then grafting is done to 5-‐6 selected sprouts in soft wood grafting method. Put poly bags on the scions after grafting. Graft union heals up fast and the branches grow quickly due to wide spread root system. This graft plant starts yielding within 2-‐3 years. However theold big tree mayfail to sprout after cutting at the base. Hence the trees up to 1.5 feet diameter are suitable for this method. This method is successful in converting old seedling plantations of cashew.27. BARK GRAFTING: Earlier there was one more method to convert old mango trees in to a graftplant. Here the

grafting is done on thick bark of the tree and hence it called bark grafting. Since the bark is thick and hard it needs chisel and hammer to cut open it. Make two cuts in an angle like this on the trunk just above the ground. Remove a small piece of bark to facilitate the insertion of the scion. Loosen the bark without damaging it. Here a bigger scion of 8 inch length and thumb thickness is used. Give slant cuts as usualto the scion. Open the cut bark and insert the scion 7slowly. Do not damage the scionby pushing it down forcibly. We may put 2 scions on the same trunk. To keep the bark in place it needs tying with a rope like this. Paste the clay on the cut marks to prevent air and water entering the graft joint.28. This scion starts sprouting within5-‐6 weeks. Union will heal perfectlyand the scion gives out 2-‐3 fleshes within 6 months. Then cut the tree above the graft union. Fell the tree in opposite direction without damaging the sprouted scion. This graft gets the whole root system for feeding. Hence it grows in to a big tree within 2-‐3 years and starts yielding. We come across many mango trees grafted in this method. 29. SIDE GRAFTING:Side grafting is one more simple method which is not in practice commercially. The old seedlings grown in a bag or pot is the rootstock. Give a slant cut on the stem at 3 inch height. Cut the scion as usual and place it in the slit of the rootstock. Tying plastic tape is enough to hold the graft joint. Scion sprouts after 4 weeks. Then cut off the top portion of the rootstock above the graft joint. 30. AIR LAYERING:Guava, pomegranate, lime, bread fruit, hibiscus, ixora, musanda, ornamental rubber and many other plants produce roots on their stems naturally. But the rooting is not enough to produce an independent viable plant for commercial planting. The systematic method of inducing enough roots on these stems is called air layering. 31. Now let us study the method in detail. Bending and putting the stems in the soil for

rooting was the earlier practice. But the availability of such stems was very limited. Hence the method was modified to root at any height of the plant. This called as air layering. Select healthy twig of finger size for layering. Put 2 knife marks around the bark and take out a ring of bark. Scrape the greenish cell layer on the stem to avoid rejoining of the bark. To induce more root IBA hormone of 500 ppm concentration maybe applied. Sphagnum moss is commonly used as rooting media. This is a fern growingon trees in the forest or on the ground in hilly region. This is a very loose medium with high water holding capacity. This sphagnum moss is available for sale in the shops selling nursery equipments. Even the saw dust and powdered organic manure are in use as rooting medium. But moss is the best one. 32. Wet the sphagnum moss;squeeze it to drain excess water. Otherwise it will result in the decay of the stem and bark inside the layer ball. Tie a plastic sheet with the help of jute thread 8belowthe layer mark. Hold it upwardto get a packet shape. Fill the packet with the moist sphagnum moss tightly. Again tie the opening at the top. Tying should be tight enough to makethe layer ball airtight. It will root within 5-‐6 weeks. After enough roots are visible put 2 vertical cuts below the layer ball in a week interval. Then separate the layer from the mother plant. Cut off the tender portion of the layer plant to minimize evaporation since the roots are yet to establish. Remove the plastic sheet, plant it in a poly bag and keep it under shade. Now let us watch the whole procedure of air layering once again.33. Air layering is the only commercial method of propagation in pomegranate and guava. We can produce layers in large numbers if we have enough mother plants. Air layering is a simple and cheaper method of plant multiplication. But the plant dies after separation if the rooting is not proper. It is opined that the layer plant can not withstand drought since it has no tap root system. But now a day the plantations will have assured irrigation. Hence the air layering has become a popular method of plant propagation. 34. BUDDING ORBUD GRAFTING:Now let us study the delicate method of grafting called budding or bud grafting. This is the only commercial method of multiplication in rose. Budding is in practice even in rubber, lime,

burfruit and in many other plants. Depending on the shape of the bark opening it is termedas ‘I’ budding, ‘T’ budding and patch budding. 35. Now let us bud graft the rose plant. Stem cuttings of commercial variety of rose will not root properly. Hence the rootstock is a wildnon flowering variety called Dog rose. Plant the dog rose cuttings in the field or in

poly bags. Select the scion stick from the required variety of rose. We find healthy, fresh and bulged vegetative buds on the stick below the dried flowers. Cut off the leaves of the scion stick. Butdo not pluck the leaves. Scoopthe selected bud with the stalk of the leaf and a small portion of the stem inside. Then carefully take out the stem part inside. This bud scion is ready for grafting. Ensure that the bud do not dries up. Cut off the other shoots of the dog rose leavingonly one soft-‐fresh shoot. Remove the thornsto facilitate easy budding. Put a mark of 1.5 inch length on the bark of the shoot with the help of knife tip. Loosen the bark without damaging it. Insert the bud inside along with the portion of the bark with it. Tie a plastic strip to make the graft joint air tight keeping the bud open. It will take 3 to 4 weeks for sprouting of the grafted bud. Cut off the dog rose shoot above the budding joint after the joint heals perfectly and the bud starts growing in to a green shoot. Keep on removing the sprouts below the budding point.

This article is about plant grafting. For other uses, see Graft (disambiguation).Cherry tree, consolidated "V" graftTape has been used to bind the rootstock and scion at the graft and tar of the scion from desiccation.A grafted tree showing two different color blossoms

Grafting or graftage[1] is a horticultural technique whereby tissues from one plant are inserted into those of another so that the two sets of vascular tissues may join together. This vascular joining is called inosculation. The technique is most commonly used in asexual propagation of commercially grown plants for the horticultural and agricultural trades.

In most cases, one plant is selected for its roots and this is called the stock or rootstock. The other plant is selected for its stems, leaves, flowers, or fruits and is called the scion or cion.[1] The scion contains the desired genes to be duplicated in future production by the stock/scion plant.

In stem grafting, a common grafting method, a shoot of a selected, desired plant cultivar is grafted onto the stock of another type. In another common form called bud grafting, a dormant side bud is grafted onto the stem of another stock plant, and when it has inosculated successfully, it is encouraged to grow by pruning off the stem of the stock plant just above the newly grafted bud.

For successful grafting to take place, the vascular cambium tissues of the stock and scion plants must be placed in contact with each other. Both tissues must be kept alive until the graft has "taken", usually a period of a few weeks. Successful grafting only requires that a vascular connection take place between the grafted tissues. Joints formed by grafting are not as strong as naturally formed joints, so a physical weak point often still occurs at the graft because only the newly formed tissues inosculate with each other. The existing structural tissue (or wood) of the stock plant does not fuse.

Contents

1 Advantages 2 Techniques 2.1 Approach 2.2 Budding 2.3 Cleft 2.4 Whip 2.5 Stub 2.6 Four flap (or banana)

2.7 Awl 2.8 Veneer 3 Natural grafting 4 Graft hybrids 5 Scientific uses 6 White Spruce 7 Herbaceous grafting 8 History 9 See also 10 References 11 External links

AdvantagesGraft particular to plum Cherry. The scion is the largest in the plant, due to the imperfect union of the two. It can be seen on the enlarged trunk: this accumulation of starch is an indication of imperfection.

Precocity: The ability to induce fruitfulness without the need for completing the juvenile phase. Juvenility is the natural state through which a seedling plant must pass before it can become reproductive. In most fruiting trees, juvenility may last between 5 and 9 years, but in some tropical fruits e.g. Mangosteen, juvenility may be prolonged for up to 15 years. Grafting of mature scions onto rootstocks can result in fruiting in as little as two years. Dwarfing: To induce dwarfing or cold tolerance or other characteristics to the scion. Most apple trees in modern orchards are grafted on to dwarf or semi-dwarf trees planted at high density. They provide more fruit per unit of land, higher quality fruit, and reduce the danger of accidents by harvest crews working on ladders. Care must be taken when planting dwarf or semi-dwarf trees. If such a tree is planted with the graft below the soil, then the scion portion can also grow roots and the tree will still grow to its standard size. Ease of propagation: Because the scion is difficult to propagate vegetatively by other means, such as by cuttings. In this case, cuttings of an easily rooted plant are used to provide a rootstock. In some cases, the scion may be easily propagated, but grafting may still be used because it is commercially the most cost-effective way of raising a particular type of plant. Hybrid breeding: To speed maturity of hybrids in fruit tree breeding programs. Hybrid seedlings may take ten or more years to flower and fruit on their own roots. Grafting can reduce the time to flowering and shorten the breeding program. Hardiness: Because the scion has weak roots or the roots of the stock plants have roots tolerant of difficult conditions. e.g. many showy Western Australian plants are sensitive to dieback on heavy soils, common in urban gardens, and are grafted onto hardier eastern Australian relatives. Grevilleas and eucalypts are examples. Sturdiness: To provide a strong, tall trunk for certain ornamental shrubs and trees. In these cases, a graft is made at a desired height on a stock plant with a strong stem. This is used to raise 'standard' roses, which are rose bushes on a high stem, and it is also used for some ornamental trees, such as certain weeping cherries. Disease/Pest Resistance: In areas where soil-borne pests or pathogens would prevent the successful planting of the desired cultivar, the use of pest/disease tolerant rootstocks allow the production from the cultivar that would be otherwise unsuccessful. A major example is the use of rootstocks in combating Phylloxera. Pollen source: To provide pollenizers. For example, in tightly planted or badly planned apple orchards of a single variety, limbs of crab apple may be grafted at regularly spaced intervals onto trees down rows, say every fourth tree. This takes care of pollen needs at blossom time, yet does not confuse pickers who might otherwise mix varieties while harvesting, as the mature crab apples are so distinct from other apple varieties. Repair: To repair damage to the trunk of a tree that would prohibit nutrient flow, such as stripping of the bark by rodents that completely girdles the trunk. In this case a bridge graft may be used to connect tissues receiving flow from the roots to tissues above the damage that have been severed from the flow. Where a watershoot, basal shoot or sapling of the same species is growing nearby, any of these can be

grafted to the area above the damage by a method called inarch grafting. These alternatives to scions must be of the correct length to span the gap of the wound. Changing cultivars: To change the cultivar in a fruit orchard to a more profitable cultivar, called topworking. It may be faster to graft a new cultivar onto existing limbs of established trees than to replant an entire orchard. Maintain consistency: Apples are notorious for their genetic variability, even differing in multiple characteristics, such as, size, color, and flavor, of fruits located on the same tree. In the commercial farming industry, consistency is maintained by grafting a scion with desired fruit traits onto a hardy stock.

An example of approach grafting by Axel Erlandson.

Curiosities A practice sometimes carried out by gardeners is to graft related potatoes and tomatoes so that both are produced on the same plant, one above ground and one underground. Cacti of widely different forms are sometimes grafted on to each other. Multiple cultivars of fruits such as apples are sometimes grafted on a single tree. This so-called "family tree" provides more fruit variety for small spaces such as a suburban backyard, and also takes care of the need for pollenizers. The drawback is that the gardener must be sufficiently trained to prune them correctly, or one strong variety will usually "take over". Ornamental and functional, tree shaping uses grafting techniques to join separate trees or parts of the same tree to itself. Furniture, hearts, entry archways are examples. Axel Erlandson was a prolific tree shaper who grew over 75 mature specimens.

TechniquesApproachT budding

Approach grafting or inarching is used to join together plants that are otherwise difficult to join. The plants are grown close together, and then joined so that each plant has roots below and growth above the point of union.[2] Both scion and stock retain their respective parents that may or may not be removed after joining. Also used in pleaching. The graft can be successfully accomplished any time of year.[3]Budding

Bud grafting uses a bud instead of a twig. Grafting roses is the most common example of bud grafting. In this method a bud is removed from the parent plant, and the base of the bud is inserted beneath the bark of the stem of the stalk plant from which the rest of the shoot has been cut. Any extra bud that starts growing out from the stem of the stalk plant is removed because that would bear the flower of the unwanted original kind. Examples: roses and peaches.CleftSuccessful cleft graft after 2 years' growthSame graft after 4 years' growth. Graft is now final, rootstock completely overtaken

In cleft grafting a small cut is made in the stalk and then the pointed end of the scion is inserted in the stalk. The most common form of grafting is cleft grafting. This is best done in the spring and is useful for joining a thin scion about 1 cm (0.39 in) diameter to a thicker branch or stock. It is best if the latter is 2–7 cm (0.79–2.76 in) in diameter and has 3–5 buds. The branch or stock should be split carefully down the middle to form a cleft about 3 cm (1.2 in) deep. If it is a branch that is not vertical then the cleft should be cut horizontally. The end of the scion should be cut cleanly to a long shallow wedge, preferably with a single cut for each wedge surface, and not whittled. A third cut may be made across the end of the wedge to make it straight across.

Slide the wedge into the cleft so that it is at the edge of the stock and the centre of the wedge faces are against the cambium layer between the bark and the wood. It is preferable if a second scion is inserted in a similar way into the other side of the cleft. This helps to seal off the cleft. Tape around the top of the

stock to hold the scion/s in place and cover with grafting wax or sealing compound. This stops the cambium layers from drying out and also prevents the ingress of water into the cleft.WhipSuccessful whip graftSuccessful whip graft needing additional pruning the following season

In whip grafting the scion and the stalk are cut slanting and then joined. The grafted point is then bound with tape and covered with soft wax to prevent dehydration and germs. Also known as the whip and tongue graft, this is considered the most difficult to master but has the highest rate of success as it offers the most cambium contact between the two species. It is the most common graft used in top-dressing commercial fruit trees. It is generally used with stock less than 1⁄2 in (1.3 cm) diameter, with the ideal diameter closer to 3⁄8 in (0.95 cm) and the scion should be of roughly the same diameter as the stock.

The stock is cut through on one side only at a shallow angle with a sharp knife. (If the stock is a branch and not the main trunk of the rootstock then the cut surface should face outward from the centre of the tree.) The scion is similarly sliced through at an equal angle starting just below a bud, so that the bud is at the top of the cut and on the other side than the cut face.

A notch is cut downwards into the sliced face of the stock and a similar cut upwards into the face of the scion cut. These act as the tongues and it requires some skill to make the cuts so that the scion and the stock marry up neatly. The joint is then taped around and treated with tree-sealing compound or grafting wax.

The elongated "Z" shape adds strength, removing the need for a companion rod in the first season (see illustration).StubSuccessful stub graft, healed

Stub grafting is a technique that requires less stock than cleft grafting, and retains the shape of a tree. Also scions are generally of 6-8 buds in this process.

An incision is made into the branch 1 cm (0.39 in) long, then the scion is wedged and forced into the branch. The scion should be at an angle of at most 35° to the parent tree so that the crotch remains strong. The graft is covered with grafting compound.

After the graft has taken, the branch is removed and treated a few centimeters above the graft, to be fully removed when the graft is strong.Four flap (or banana)

The four-flap graft (also called banana graft) is commonly used for pecans, and first became popular with this species in Oklahoma in 1975. It is heralded for maximum cambium overlap, but is a complex graft. It requires similarly sized diameters for the rootstock and graftwood. The bark of the rootstock is sliced and peeled back in four flaps, and the hardwood is removed, looking somewhat like a peeled banana. It is a difficult graft to learn.Awl

Awl grafting takes the least resources and the least time. It is best done by an experienced grafter, as it is possible to accidentally drive the tool too far into the stock, reducing the scion's chance of survival. Awl grafting can be done by using a screwdriver to make a slit in the bark, not penetrating the cambium layer completely. Then inset the wedged scion into the incision.Veneer

Veneer grafting, or inlay grafting, is a method used for stocks larger than three centimeters in diameter. The scion is recommended to be about as thick as a pencil. Clefts are made of the same size as the scion

on the side of the branch, not on top. The scion end is shaped as a wedge, inserted, and wrapped with tape to the scaffolding branches to give it more strength.Natural graftingPossible deliberate grafts on a Sessile Oak in Ayrshire, ScotlandA Husband and Wife tree - Natural grafting in blackthorn Prunus spinosa

Tree branches and more often roots of the same species will sometimes naturally graft; this is called inosculation. When roots make physical contact with each other they often grow together. A group of trees can share water and mineral nutrients via root grafts, which may be advantageous to weaker trees, and may also form a larger rootmass as an adaptation to promote fire resistance and regeneration as exemplified by the California black oak (Quercus kelloggii).[4]

A problem with root grafts is that they allow transmission of certain pathogens, such as Dutch elm disease. Inosculation also sometimes occurs where two stems on the same tree, shrub or vine make contact with each other. This is common in plants such as strawberries and potato.Graft hybrids

Occasionally, a so-called "graft hybrid" can occur where the tissues of the stock continue to grow within the scion. Such a plant can produce flowers and foliage typical of both plants as well as shoots intermediate between the two. The best-known example this is probably +Laburnocytisus 'Adamii', a graft hybrid between laburnum and broom, which originated in a nursery near Paris, France in 1825. This small tree bears yellow flowers typical of Laburnum anagyroides, purple flowers typical of Chamaecytisus purpureus and curious coppery-pink flowers that show characteristics of both "parents".Scientific uses

Grafting has been important in flowering research. Leaves or shoots from plants induced to flower can be grafted onto uninduced plants and transmit a floral stimulus that induces them to flower.[5]

The transmission of plant viruses has been studied using grafting. Virus indexing involves grafting a symptomless plant that is suspected of carrying a virus onto an indicator plant that is very susceptible to the virus.White Spruce

White spruce can be grafted with consistent success by using 8 cm to 10 cm scions of current growth on thrifty 4- to 5-year-old rootstock (Nienstaedt and Teich 1972).[6] Before greenhouse grafting, rootstocks should be potted in late spring, allowed to make seasonal growth, then subjected to a period of chilling outdoors, or for about 8 weeks in a cool room at 2 °C (Nienstaedt 1966).[7]

A method of grafting white spruce of seed-bearing age during the time of seed harvest in the fall was developed by Nienstaedt et al. (1958).[8] Scions of white spruce of 2 ages of wood from 30- to 60 year-old trees were collected in the fall and grafted by 3 methods on potted stock to which different day-length treatments had been applied prior to grafting. The grafted stock were given long-day and natural-day treatments. Survival was 70% to 100% and showed effects of rootstock and post-grafting treatments in only a few cases. Photoperiod and temperature treatments after grafting, however, had considerable effect on scion activity and total growth. The best post-grafting treatment was 4 weeks of long-day treatment followed by 2 weeks of short-day treatment, then 8 weeks of chilling, and finally long-day treatment.

Since grafts of white spruce put on relatively little growth in the 2 years after grafting, techniques for accelerating the early growth were studied by Greenwood et al. (1988)[9] and others. The cultural regimes used to promote one additional growth cycle in one year involve manipulation of day length and the use of cold storage to satisfy chilling requirements. Greenwood et al. took dormant potted grafts into the greenhouse in early January then gradually raised the temperature during the course of a week until the minimum temperature rose to 15 °C. Photoperiod was increased to 18 hours using incandescent lighting. In this technique, grafts are grown until elongation has been completed, normally by mid-March. Soluble 10-52-10 fertilizer is applied at both ends of the growth cycle and 20-20-20

during the cycle, with irrigation as needed. When growth elongation is complete, day length is reduced to 8 hours using a blackout curtain. Budset follows, and the grafts are held in the greenhouse until mid-May. Grafts are then moved into a cooler at 4 °C for 1000 hours, after which they are moved to a shade frame where they grow normally, with applications of fertilizer and irrigation as in the first cycle. Grafts are moved into cold frames or unheated greenhouse in September until January. Flower induction treatments are begun on grafts that have reached a minimum length of 1.0 m. Repotting from an initial pot size of 4.5litre to 16litre containers with a 2:1:1 soil mix of peat moss, loam, and aggregate.

In one of the first accelerated growth experiments, white spruce grafts made in January and February that would normally elongate shortly after grafting, set bud, and remain in that condition until the following spring, were refrigerated for 500, 1000, or 1500 hours beginning in mid-July, and a non-refrigerated control was held in the nursery (Greenwood et al. 1988).[9] After completion of the cold treatment, the grafts were moved into the greenhouse with an 18-hour photoperiod until late October. Height increment was significantly (P 0.01) influenced by cold treatment. Best results were given by the 1000-hour treatment (Table 3.31; Greenwood et al. 1988).[9]

The refrigeration (cold treatment) phase was subsequently shown to be effective when applied 2 months earlier with proper handling and use of blackout curtains, which allows the second growth cycle to be completed in time to satisfy dormancy requirements before January (Greenwood et al. 1988).[9]Herbaceous grafting

Grafting is often done for non -woody and vegetable plants (tomato, cucumber, eggplant and watermelon).[10] Tomato grafting is very popular in Asia and Europe, and is gaining popularity in the United States. The main advantage of grafting is for disease-resistant rootstocks. Researchers in Japan developed automated processes using grafting robots as early as 1987.[11][12][13]History

Grafting with detached scions has been practiced for thousands of years. It was in use by the Chinese before 2000 BC,[14] then spread to the rest of Eurasia and was well established in ancient Greece.[15]