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GRAFTING: A TECHNIQUE IN FOREST TREE BREEDING PROGRAMME
P Sharma

Divn. of Plant Breeding & Genetics
 

Grafting is a most fascinating aspect of conventional propagation technique. The "Parts" of different plants species are united here, by bringing the cambium of each in to contact and cut surfaces unite and grow together. Though the technique is widely popular in horticultural crops even it has been recorded in many gymnosperms like Pinus, Abies etc. The "Parts" used in the technique are "Stock" that is the lower part of the graft and the"Scion" that is the part of the graft and will provide new shoot system. A successful grafting always depends on the proficiency in the grafting skills, correct and efficient equipment and material, stock and scion should be true to name that is both the stock and scion should be the combination of similar genetical affinity, intimate cambial contact between stock and scion, the correct time of year, the correct environmental factor such as humidity, temperature, shading and ventilation ( where appropriate), prevention of drying out of the cut surfaces, prevention of pests and diseases etc. The whole grafting technique includes number of methods. Among these, the techniques basically applied in deciduous and evergreen forest trees are following : "Open ground grafting", is a process in which multi-budded dormant scion is grafted on to an established open ground stock. "Bud grafting", is normally done in summer in which a single bud with rind (i.e.the tough outer layer of plant body) is cut and placed within the stock. "Bench Grafting ", is carried out at the bench inside a covered structure, that is shade or green house during summer or winter. Here the scion is interlocked into the stock and use a rubber grafting strip to hold the scion and stock firmly together. Open ground grafting is reported on Pinus(1976, Kedharnath,S & Kapoor, M. L; 1977, Kapoor, M. L. , Vaishasya, R. K. & Kedharnath, S; 1979, Kedharnath, S. Kapoor,M.L. & Vakshasya, R. K.; 1981 Kapoor, M. L.).Further, a successful intergeneric grafting in Paulownia tomentosa is done by using section of roots as the under stock. Again,(1995,Sharma A,K., Thakur,S., Badiyala,S. D., and Sharma. N. K.,) reported on Terminalia chebula through "Patch budding" an important medicinal tree species. The technique is most appropriate to obtain special forms of plants, to propagate plants, that are virtually impossible to raise by any alternative vegetative technique and to get the desired clonal material to establish "Plus Trees". For the production of "Plus tree" species for forestry breeding programme, considering a "Mother tree orchard" can provide scion material and by creating "Seed orchard" for superior seed production to maintain good quality seed bank, it oflers a best proposal. The main advantage of the technique is to have a strong root system to provide anchorage to which are high yielding. Besides this, the "Bud grafting" is most economical and standard method in terms of space as only one bud is used for budding compared to other grafting methods. Therefore, it is considered that grafting technique on the whole is the best approach in forest tree breeding programme.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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