Practical 9: Propagation techniques for horticultural crops.
9 (c): To study about asexual propagation through grafting.
It is asexual method of propagation which is carried out by bringing together two vegetative parts from
two different plants of a same species and joining them together to grow as a single plant. The part of
graft combination which is to become the upper portion or the shoot system or top of the new plant is
termed the scion or cion and the part which is to become the lower portion or the root system is the
rootstock or under stock or some time stock. The single plant obtained as a result of union between the
stock and scion is termed as Stion. In this method, scion twig has more than 2 buds on it. In temperate
fruit crops, grafting is done in dormant stage whereas evergreen fruit crops are grafted during the period
of active growth. When more than two parts are involved, the middle piece is called the interstock.
The principles involved in grafting are based on the matching of scion and stock cambiums (meristematic
tissue, the cells of which are undifferentiated and capable of frequent cell division). Cambial tissue in
most woody trees and shrubs is an inconspicuous single cell layer covering the central core of wood and
lying directly beneath the bark.
Why grafting?
To Reproduce vegetatively, change variety, add pollinizer, change root system, produce certain plant
forms, repair damaged plants or create designs.
Methods of grafting:
I. Detached methods
a) Tongue grafting
In this method, stock and scion should be of equal diameter. First, a long, smooth, slanting cut of
about 4 to 5 cm long is made on the rootstock Another downward cut is given starting
approximately 1/3 from the top and about a centimeter in length. Similar cuts are made in the
scion wood (2-3 buds) exactly matching the cuts given in the rootstock while taking care that the
cambium layer of at least one side of the stock and scion unites together. This is then wrapped
with polythene strip.
b) Cleft grafting
This method is useful where the rootstock is quite thicker (upto 8 cm thick) than scion and tongue
grafting cannot be employed successfully.
The rootstock to be grafted is cut smoothly and then split in the middle down to about 4 cm. The
bud stick having 3 to 4 buds is trimmed like a wedge at the lower end with outer side slightly
broader than the inner side. The lower bud on the scion should be located just where the wedge
starts. The scion is than fitted well into the stock making sure that the cambium layers of both the
stock and the scion are perfectly matched. Tongue and cleft grafting methods are used in, pear,
peach, plum and almond during dormant period i.e. December-January.
c) Side grafting
A three-sided rectangular cut about 4 x 1.25 cm is made on the rootstock at a height of about 15-
20 cm from the ground level and the bark of the damarcated portion is lifted away from the
rootstock. A matching cut is also made on the base of the scion (length less than 7.5 cm) to
expose the cambium. The selected scion shoots should have plump terminal buds and not the
protuded auxillary buds. The prepared scion is inserted under the bark flap of the rootstock so that
the exposed cambia of the two components are in close contact with each other and the union is
then tied firmly with polythene strip. When the scion has sprouted and its leaves turned green, the
rootstock portion above the graft union should be cut away.
d) Veneer grafting
This is also a kind of side grafting with slight modification. On the stock plant, at the desired
height, in the internodal region, give a shallow inward cut running to a length of about 2.5 to 5cm.
At the base of the first cut make another short and inward cut intersecting the first cut and remove
a piece of wood and bark. On the scion , towards the base, give a long (2.5-5.0cm), slanting cut
towards one side and another short, inward and downward cut on the opposite side. Insert the
scion on to the rootstock and tie them firmly. After the union has healed, cut back the stock above
the graft union.
e) Whip/splice grafting
This method is useful for grafting for relatively thin material i.e. 0.8-1.2 cm diameter. It heals
quickly and makes a strong union. The cut made at the top of the stock should be exactly the
same as those made at the bottom of the scion. The length of the cut is kept 2.5-5.0 cm and cut is
given with the single stroke of the knife. Then they are tied and whole union is covered with
grafting wax. This type of grafting is done in early spring.
f) Saddle grafting
Diagonal cuts of equal length are made on the scion and stocks of equal girth in the form of
saddle to match each other. The cuts are brought together facing cambium layers, tied securely
and coated with grafting wax.
g) Bridge grafting
Trees injured by rodents, animals, or fungus can be saved by bridge grafting.Bridge grafting is
done when the sap is flowing in the tree but the scion is still dormant. First, the injured bark is cut
away to healthy tissue on both sides of the girdle. Scion sticks are prepared in such a way that
they not only cover the girdled area but also extend into the healthy bark at both ends at least 3-4
cm. Sloping cuts, 5-6 cm long are made on the same side of the both ends of the scion. This side
is to be put in contact with the healthy tissue across the girdle. Slanting cuts about 2-5 cm long
are also made on the opposite side of the scion exposing additional cambium for a better union.
The bark on both sides of the girdle is lifted and the scion which has been prepared as above is
inserted there. The scion is nailed down firmly on both ends and wax is applied. Three or four
such grafts are made to bridge the girdled stem.
h) Epicotyl/Stone grafting
This method of grafting is done on the epicotyl region of the young seedlings; hence the name
epicotyl grafting. Select very young seedling about 10-15 days old. Cut off the top portion and
make a slanting cut on the top of the chosen seedling leaving 5-6cm long shoot. Select a 3-4
months old terminal shoot (8-10 cm long) from current season growth of a proven mother plant as
the scion stick. Make a wedge shape cut on lower side of selected scion and insert it in seedling
stock. Secure firmly with polythene strips or tape.
II. Attached methods
Inarching/Approach grafting: In this method of grafting, two independent plants on their own roots
(self sustaining) are grafted together. The diameter of scion and rootstock should be same about 1.25-
1.5 cm. A slice of bark and wood 2.5 to5 cm long is cut from both the selected stock and scion shoots.
Bring the cambial layers of stock and scion together, press them together and tie the two cut surfaces
together tightly with polythene strip/ string or cloth. After the union is complete in 2-3 months, detach
the scion shoot from mother plant.
Top working:
Top-working for changing a variety is generally done on long lived species, growing in a healthy
condition. Short lived species, old trees or diseased trees are not suitable for top working; in such cases
new planting is considered more economical and useful than top working. This practice is resorted to (1)
when the existing tree is of inferior type, (2) when the tree is unproductive and (3) to provide pollenizers
(4) to change the variety. For top working different methods of grafting like cleft grafting, bark grafting,
splice grafting or side grafting can be used.
Double working: It is practiced for several purposes (1) to overcome incompatibility between the stock
and scion.Iincompatible stock and scion may be united by means of a piece of interstock that is
compatible to both (2) to secure resistance to drought or cold by providing a disease or cold resistant
trunk by means of double working.(3) To obtain resistance to pest and dwarfing effect by using a pest
resistant stock and a dwarfing stock and (4) top working of grafted orchard trees is essentially a double
working; here the tree trunk as an intermediate stock may exert certain influences on the new top. The
inserted intermediate stem piece is called as interstock / inter stem.
