Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

A New Grafting Method for Watermelon to Inhibit Rootstock Re-Growth and Enhance Scion Growth

Version 1 : Received: 29 July 2021 / Approved: 30 July 2021 / Online: 30 July 2021 (09:56:14 CEST)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Liu, C.; Lin, W.; Feng, C.; Wu, X.; Fu, X.; Xiong, M.; Bie, Z.; Huang, Y. A New Grafting Method for Watermelon to Inhibit Rootstock Regrowth and Enhance Scion Growth. Agriculture 2021, 11, 812. Liu, C.; Lin, W.; Feng, C.; Wu, X.; Fu, X.; Xiong, M.; Bie, Z.; Huang, Y. A New Grafting Method for Watermelon to Inhibit Rootstock Regrowth and Enhance Scion Growth. Agriculture 2021, 11, 812.

Abstract

Grafting is an effective way to increase plant tolerance to biotic and abiotic stressors, it is widely used in watermelon production. However, grafting is labor intensive due to the additional time is required, such as the management of rootstock regrowth. This study used a new grafting tool to destroy (remove) the epidermis of pumpkin and bottle gourd rootstock cotyledon base during grafting, we called this a new grafting method. Compared with the traditional grafting (100%), the new grafting method had significantly lower rate of rootstock regrowth (2-23%), higher watermelon scion dry weight and leaf area. In addition, the time used for the new hole insertion and one cotyledon grafting method to destroy (remove) the epidermis of rootstock cotyledon base (4.2 s/plant, 4.2 s/plant) is significantly shorter than the time required to remove the rootstock regrowth manually in the traditional grafting (9.3 s/plant, 8.8 s/plant). Thus, this study developed a new grafting method for watermelon to inhibit rootstock regrowth and enhance scion growth, and this new method is cost-effective for grafted watermelon seedlings.

Keywords

Citrullus lanatus; grafting tool; rootstock regrowth; scion growth; vegetable grafting

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Anatomy and Physiology

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