Are grafted rose plants better than cuttings? A comparative analysis of their advantages

Growing Techniques Jan 1, 1970 0 views

Are grafted rose plants better than cuttings? This question troubles many flower lovers. Today, the editor will tell you about the differences between grafted rose plants and cutting-grown rose plants, as well as what to pay attention to when buying grafted plants

The day before yesterday, the editor talked about the technique of twisting rose branches to encourage new shoots, and received feedback from many flower lovers. One of them asked a very interesting question: "Can grafting encourage new shoot buds?" At first glance, this question seems to connect two unrelated things, because grafting is just a propagation method, while bursting new shoot buds is a growth process, and there is no intersection between the two at all. But there must be a reason this flower lover could ask such a question. Her grafted rose plant did grow new shoot buds, and they emerged from the ground. So when she saw "Techniques for Twisting Rose Branches to Encourage Shoots," she connected it to her own rose.

Today, the editor will talk about the differences between grafted rose plants and cutting-grown rose plants, as well as what to pay attention to when buying grafted plants.

Flower lovers also often ask the editor whether cutting-grown rose plants are better or grafted ones are better. Some say grafted roses are good, while others say cutting-grown rose plants are good, which leaves many people confused. In fact, between cutting-grown rose plants and grafted rose plants, you cannot simply say which is better or which is worse; you can only say each has its own strengths! Only by understanding the respective characteristics of cutting-grown rose plants and grafted rose plants, and your own needs, can you make the best choice.

1. Characteristics of grafted plants:

Many excellent rose varieties are not easy to propagate successfully from cuttings, so grafting is often used in production. Because the rootstock of grafted rose plants is mostly a rose with a well-developed root system, grafted rose plants grow very quickly in the first 1-2 years. It can be said to grow 2-3 times as fast as cutting-grown plants.

However, because they are grafted, by the 3rd year of growth the plants begin to show signs of aging and decline, and their growth vitality decreases. The editor has personally grown several grafted roses, and I found that although grafted roses grow quickly in the early stage, they do not easily produce new shoot buds. They only produce new shoot buds in the first 1-2 years of planting, and even then not in large amounts; after that they rarely produce new shoot buds. Many rose varieties need their branches renewed, which is also why it is said that after 3 years, grafted plants will have an aging problem. This is because many rose varieties need branch renewal, and overly old branches have weak sprouting ability, which is not good for flowering.

Another point is that if the grafting technique is not up to standard, grafted rose plants can also easily grow new shoot buds from the rootstock during cultivation. If the new shoot buds that grow are from the rootstock, and you cannot tell them apart and remove them in time, then this becomes a very frustrating matter, because the rootstock's new shoot buds will seize and consume a large amount of nutrients. So when you find that your grafted rose plant has new shoot buds emerging from the soil, you need to be careful; they are very likely rootstock buds.

2. Characteristics of cutting-grown plants:

Compared with grafted plants, cutting-grown rose plants clearly do not grow as fast as grafted plants in the first 1-2 years. This is determined by the strength of the root system, which is easy to understand. But after 2 years of growth, by the 3rd year, cutting-grown roses often explode into growth, entering a rapid growth period and continuously sprouting new shoot buds from the base.

Because cutting-grown plants have a strong ability to sprout new shoot buds, they can replace aging branches at any time, so there is no problem of plant aging. Comparing the two, from the perspective of common practical benefits, choosing cutting-grown plants is relatively better, since grafted plants still have the hidden risk of rootstock growth. But if you want quick results, then of course grafted plants are the first choice, because they grow quickly and can achieve a relatively good flowering effect in a short time.

So choosing what suits you according to your own needs is the best choice.

The differences between cutting-grown rose plants and grafted rose plants, and their advantages and disadvantages

When choosing rose plants, flower lovers may not know the differences between cutting-grown rose plants and grafted rose plants. Here we introduce the differences between cutting-grown rose plants and grafted rose plants from different aspects to help flower lovers choose reasonable rose plants.

I. Grafted rose plants

Some rose varieties are very difficult to root from cuttings, or their root systems are not well developed. Using robust roses as rootstock allows rapid propagation and production, and the plants grow strongly, with many and large flowers.

Grafted rose plants can be divided into many situations. For example, in grafted plants whose rootstock is grown from cuttings, the rootstock is also propagated by cuttings. At present, most domestic production also first grows the rootstock from cuttings and then grafts it to form a new plant.

Another situation is the imported plants that everyone is familiar with. These plants are seedling-grown rootstocks that are then grafted, and their characteristic is that they inherit the habits and traits of the original rootstock species. At the same time, grafted plants also depend to a certain extent on the variety habits of the rootstock, such as growth cycle and resistance to pests and diseases.

For the same variety, grafting cannot change the characteristics of that variety. For example, fast growth only means that in the early grafting stage the scion uses the rootstock's strong absorption capacity to grow quickly. Once it grows to the point where it can synchronize with the rootstock, and the root system and branches are balanced, it returns to the variety's original characteristics. For example, a slow-growing variety will slow down after growing branches to a certain extent. Using rootstock for grafting is often widely used because it can quickly produce precious varieties in batches. Grafted plants grow fast and also age fast.

Advantages and disadvantages of grafted rose plants. Grafted rose plants generally grow more than 3 times as fast as cutting-grown plants, and in the same year they can develop into thick, strong large plants and bloom standard flowers. The disadvantages are a shorter lifespan, with plants beginning to age after more than 5 years, and frequent sprouting of rootstock buds.

II. Cutting-grown rose plants

Many flower lovers know about cutting-grown rose plants, and perhaps some have tried it themselves and succeeded. Here we only briefly introduce some knowledge about their advantages and disadvantages. Cutting-grown plants are asexual propagation; taking their branches allows them to root and form an independent individual. Their traits are consistent with the mother plant's flower color, plant shape, and habit performance.

Advantages and disadvantages of cutting-grown rose plants. Cutting-grown plants do not have the problem of rootstock aging, and their growth momentum is vigorous in the later stage.

After reading the above, I believe many flower lovers understand the differences between cutting-grown rose plants and grafted rose plants. So which one is more suitable for flower lovers? In fact, this depends on personal needs. As the saying goes, radishes and cabbages each have their own lovers. Some flower lovers like immediate results and want flowers in the first year, while others prefer the original type. So which plant to choose can be judged by flower lovers themselves.

Fund project: Technical regulations for micrografting of tissue-cultured rose plantlets

Roses are a common flower variety in people's lives. With the development of flower cultivation technology, micrografting of tissue-cultured rose plantlets has become a research subject for many agricultural experts. Today, the editor of Huinong Network will tell you about a fund project: Technical regulations for micrografting of tissue-cultured rose plantlets.

1 Introduction

As one of the basic means of biotechnology, micrografting plays an important role in the progress of social science and technology. Micrografting is the combination of tissue culture and grafting technology. It is a grafting technique in which grafting is done onto rootstock cultivated in a greenhouse or rootstock grown in test tubes. At present, micrografting technology has been widely used in the research and production of fruit trees, ornamental trees, and flowers.

Many excellent rose varieties have low seed-setting rates, seeds that do not germinate easily, or cuttings that are difficult to root. For these varieties, grafting is an efficient propagation method.

2 Scope

This regulation specifies the facilities related to rose micrografting, the selection and disinfection of substrate materials, the selection and disinfection of rootstock and scion, the micrografting technical method, and post-grafting management. This regulation applies to the production of rose micrografting.

3 Normative references

The following documents are indispensable for the application of this document. Only the versions with dates are applicable to this document. For any undated referenced document, the latest version (including all amendments) applies to this document. NY/T 2306-2013 Technical regulations for rapid tissue culture propagation of flower seedlings.

4 Cultivation of rootstock and scion

4.1 Selection of rootstock

Rootstock generally uses varieties with good growth and strong resistance to pests and diseases. Thornless rose can be chosen as the rootstock for rose micrografting. Rootstock can be propagated by cuttings and tissue culture. The scion for rose micrografting is generally propagated by tissue culture.

4.2 Cutting propagation of rootstock

Rose micrografting can graft scions cultured in culture bottles onto rootstock in a greenhouse or rootstock in a petri dish. Choose branches that grew fully in the current year, are flexible, and have not yet sprouted flower buds. Cut the upper part flat, and use a knife to cut the lower part below the node at 5-8 mm into a horseshoe shape (about 45-60°). In spring, summer, and autumn, keep the top two small leaves and remove the rest; in winter, when cutting in a greenhouse, all leaves should be removed. Use vermiculite or river sand as the substrate, and use plug trays or flower pots; generally use 50-cell plug trays. The general cutting depth is 3-5 cm. When using flower pots or non-perforated plug trays, keep the plant spacing at 5-6 cm, then water thoroughly. Place the cut roses in a shady place and pay attention to moisture retention. If the temperature is not high, plastic film can be used to build an arched shed. At a temperature of 20-28°C, roots will form in 30 d. After the roses survive, there is no need to rush to transplant. Wait until the roots age and turn brown before transplanting, and the survival rate will be higher.

4.3 Tissue culture of rootstock and scion

4.3.1 Explant treatment

Select young rose stems free of pests and diseases and rinse them under running water for 3 h. Remove leaves and cut them into stem segments 1.5 cm long, each with one bud. First disinfect with 70% alcohol for 15 s, then rinse 3 times with sterile water, then disinfect with 2% effective concentration NaClO for 10 min, and rinse 3 times with sterile water. Place the disinfected stem segments with buds facing upward

in initiation medium MS + 6-BA 3.0 mg/L + NAA 0.15 mg/L. The culture temperature is 24°C ± 2°C, with fluorescent light as the light source, light intensity of 3000-4500 lx, and photoperiod of 12 h/d.

4.3.2 Subculture

Cut off the young shoots sprouted from initiation culture and inoculate them onto subculture proliferation medium MS + 6-BA 2.0 mg/L + GA3 1.0 mg/L. The culture temperature is 24°C ± 2°C, with fluorescent light as the light source, light intensity of 3000-4500 lx, and photoperiod of 16 h/d. When the young rose stems used as scions grow to 2-3 cm, grafting can be carried out.

4.3.3 Rooting culture

When the young stems of the thornless rose used as rootstock grow to 2-3 cm, cut the clustered seedlings into individual plants and transfer them into rooting medium 1/2 MS + IBA 1.0 mg/L + NAA 0.5 mg/L. After the seedlings root, micrografting can be carried out.

5 Grafting

5.1 Preparation before grafting

Before grafting, prepare scissors, a scalpel, tweezers, and Parafilm. Rootstock in the greenhouse needs to be watered thoroughly 1-2 d before grafting to ensure sufficient moisture. Before grafting, streptomycin 500x solution + kasugamycin 600x solution can be sprayed on the rootstock in the greenhouse to prevent bacterial invasion.

5.2 Grafting

The grafting method uses cleft grafting. When the rootstock is a tissue-cultured plantlet: under sterile conditions, select rooted rootstock from the rooting medium, remove the terminal bud of the tissue-cultured plantlet, leave about 2 cm of stem segment, remove the lower lateral buds with tweezers, and make a vertical cut from the top of the rootstock with a depth of 0.2-0.5 cm. Select a scion about 1 cm long with a thickness similar to the rootstock, and cut its base into a wedge shape (length similar to the depth of the rootstock cut). Insert the cut scion into the rootstock so that it fits as closely as possible with the rootstock, then fix it with Parafilm. Place it in the tissue culture room to continue culturing. After the scion survives, it can be hardened off and transplanted.

When the rootstock is a cultivated seedling in a greenhouse: select sturdy tissue-cultured scion plantlets and place them in a hardening room for acclimatization. After the tissue-cultured plantlets adapt to the external environment, grafting can be carried out. Grafting should be carried out in a shady environment. Choose young stems of the current year as rootstock, remove the terminal bud, remove the lateral buds below the top, and make a vertical cut from the top of the rootstock with a depth of 0.2-0.5 cm. Select a scion about 1 cm long with a thickness similar to the rootstock, and cut its base into a wedge shape (length similar to the depth of the rootstock cut). Insert the cut scion into the rootstock so that it fits as closely as possible with the rootstock, then fix it with Parafilm.

Technical regulations for micrografting of tissue-cultured rose plantlets

6 Post-grafting management

Grafted plantlets cultured in petri dishes can be placed in a culture room to continue culturing. Grafted plantlets in the greenhouse need humidity maintained within 4 d after grafting is completed. They can be bagged or a small shed can be built to maintain moisture, and attention should also be paid to shading with a shade net. After 5 d, using the seedlings not wilting as the standard, gradually open the bags or small shed until they enter a normal environment for management.

For plantlets grafted in petri dishes, after the scion survives and grows fully, hardening off can be carried out. Place the petri dish in a hardening room, first loosen the lid, and pay attention to observing the seedlings. If signs of wilting appear, tighten the lid again. Using the seedlings not wilting as the standard, finally open the lid completely, and then the seedlings can be transplanted into pots.

The above is what the editor of Huinong Network compiled about