The Latest Detailed Guide to Citrus Grafting Time and Methods
Citrus is a common fruit in our daily life and is widely grown in our country. When growing citrus, the propagation method is very important. Generally speaking, the most commonly used propagation method for citrus is grafting. So when should citrus be grafted? And how should it be done? Below, the editor brings you the grafting time and methods for citrus. Let's take a look!
1. Scion preparation
When citrus is grafted using bud plates, it is generally done around September to October each year. First, the scion preparation work should be done well. Scions should be collected from mother trees with pure varieties, high yield, good quality and robust growth. Generally, autumn grafting is the main method. For orchards specifically used for collecting scions, sufficient base fertilizer and compound fertilizer should be applied in July. Then, branches such as water sprouts, single-terminal fruit branches and spring shoot vegetative branches should be cut back. Then, according to the growth vigor of the base branches, about two new shoots should be selected and retained, and pest and disease control should be done well to improve the survival rate and sprouting rate of grafting.
2. Scion collection
When collecting scions, pay attention to the weather; do not do it on rainy days. It is best to collect scions on sunny days or cloudy days. When collecting scions, do it in the middle and upper parts of the mother tree canopy, the outer periphery and places with sufficient sunlight. Ensure the branches are fully mature, with a length of about 15cm, mainly robust autumn shoots. After the branches are cut off, place them in a cool place. When collecting scions, remove the leaves while collecting. Do not pull the leaves off by hand, to avoid injury. Then place the scions among a pile of leaves and transport them to the nursery for later use.
3. Scion treatment
After the scions are transported to the nursery, place them in a cool place to dissipate heat for about two hours. Then soak them in agents such as agricultural streptomycin for half an hour. Take them out, wash them clean, and then soak them in tetracycline hydrochloride for two hours. After cleaning and drying, they can be grafted. If storage is needed, use clean coarse river sand with a moisture content of about 8%, tie the branches into small bundles, and spread about 5cm of sand on the ground. Place the scions on it, then cover with a layer of coarse sand. Then cover the upper layer with woven bags or burlap sacks, check about every five days, and the storage time should not exceed half a month. It is best to graft as soon as possible.
4. Grafting time and methods
The autumn grafting time is generally from September to October, mainly using bud plate side grafting. First, at a position about 12 cm above the ground on the rootstock, cut a knife closely along the trunk from top to bottom, cutting to about the xylem, with the cut kept at about 2.5cm. Then remove half of the rootstock bark, open one row of rootstock at a time, and then cut the bud plate. When cutting the bud plate, first hold the scion properly, then make a flat downward cut from about the upper 1/3 of the bud toward the front at about 20 degrees, keeping the length at about two centimeters, with a little xylem. Then make an oblique cut below the bud at about 2/3 of the way at an angle of about 45 degrees, crossing the first cut to remove the bud plate. Insert the bud plate directly into the bottom of the cut on the rootstock, then wrap it with grafting film, leaving the bud eye exposed.
The above is a brief introduction to the grafting time and methods for citrus. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and we hope it can help everyone!