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What Is Tree Grafting?
What Is Tree Grafting?. Grafting involves taking merging two different types of plants together so they become one plant. Usually, one part of the plant serves as the root system for the plant, which is known as the rootstock. The other part of the plant supplies the stem, leaves, fruit and other parts of the plant, which is called the scion.
Grafting involves taking merging two different types of plants together so they become one plant. Usually, one part of the plant serves as the root system for the plant, which is known as the rootstock. The other part of the plant supplies the stem, leaves, fruit and other parts of the plant, which is called the scion.
Purpose
Some trees do not always turn out the same, with seeds growing trees with inconsistent properties. Also, some species of trees can have a hard time establishing effective root systems. Therefore, farmers try to regrow new trees using already successful roots.
Healing Process
Grafting success depends on both the compatibility of the two plants and also their cambial contact. The cambium refers to the cells between the outer sapwood and the inner bark. These cells must be exposed to each other until the two parts of the tree heal together. Therefore, both plants must be cut so the cells are exposed and they must then be held together for a sufficient period of time.
Scion Survival
The kind of scion wood that farmers use to graft should be in the state of dormancy so that they can survive. The scion should not have frost damage and should come from a tree that was healthy to begin with. Farmers keep the scions somewhat wet so they do not dry out, but not so wet that they rot. They must be refrigerated so any bacteria on them do not grow and take over the scion. Farmers should not pick scions that have disease to begin with because these diseases will continue to spread and, possibly, kill the scion while in storage.
Grafting Techniques
The ways the scion is attached to the rootstock depend on the characteristics and dimensions of both the rootstock and the scion. When the rootstock and scion are a different diameter, farmers tend to cut a smooth edge on both the scion and the rootstock, cut a tongue out of the scion and then wrap the scion and rootstock together. When the stock is larger than the scion, the farmer usually splits the rootstock and creates a wedge on the scion. The farmer then inserts the wedge into the split open rootstock and seals with wax. The farmer can also insert two scions with cut open edges into the bark.
Failures
Sometimes the scion and the rootstock do not form a whole plant. This often happens when the scion and the rootstock are not compatible, when the scion is upside down, when the scion is not dormant, or when the scion had too much damage.
