Cold storage of budsticks/clefts for staggered grafting in persimmon trees

Abstract

The persimmon tree is propagated by grafting and the rootstocks are produced from seeds. Grafting is done in July, which coincides with the time when the persimmon trees are pruned. But, at this time, many rootstocks are not yet eligible to receive the grafts. In this case budsticks/cleft storage is an option. Thus, this study aimed to verify the feasibility of cold storage of budsticks/cleft and verify the grafting method to promote better graft development. Rootstock was sown in August 2012 and the branches were collected in July 2013. Part of the branches was used for grafting (budding and cleft graft methods) in one-year old rootstocks and the other part was stored at low temperature (cuttings wrapped in moistened paper and then wrapped in polyethylene bags placed in cold storage at 4°C), during the months of August to December. Every 30 days, a number of branches was removed from the cold storage to perform grafting by budding and cleft and to quantify total sugars and starch in the budsticks/cleft stored. One hundred and twenty days after the grafting was performed, the length and diameter of the bud, number of leaves, sprouting percentage, dry weight of aerial part and root from the grafts were measured. It was concluded that there is no difference in the budding graft for different periods, but in seedlings grafted by the cleft grafting method there is greater growth when the clefts have been in cold storage for 60 to 120 days.