What is Grafting?

Uses in Addition to 

Plant Propagation
What is Grafting in Plants?

In crop farming or crop agriculture, grafting is most commonly referred to as an

artificial, vegetative method of plant propagation. However, as a technique or
procedure, it has many other uses. The term is also applied in animals and in
humans as in skin grafting.

Plant grafting is a procedure in which parts of plants are joined together with the
ultimate intention of making them unite and continue growing as one plant. A
grafted plant, therefore, is a composite of parts derived from two or more plants.

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Grafting generally applies to the dicots and to the gymnosperms

because of the presence of a continuous vascular cambium between the
xylem and the phloem. But in the monocots that have no vascular cambium,
successful grafts are rare and difficult.

Two terms are common in grafting: rootstock and scion. These terms are

always used in reference to what is grafting rather than in other methods of plant
propagation.

The rootstock, also called understock or simply stock, is the lower part

having roots and usually consists also of a stem that is to become the lowermost
part of the shoot of the grafted plant. The rootstock provides anchorage as well
as support to the upper parts of the plant.
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The scion, or cion, is the upper part that is joined to the rootstock and is the
main component of the plant shoot when the plant is fully developed. It usually
consists of the primary stem (trunk) and branches except the portion that belongs
to the rootstock. The scion determines the characteristics of the plant as
to leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds, and thus needs to be chosen with care.

In plant propagation by grafting, the scion to be joined to the rootstock

consists of a portion of stem, usually small twigs, with multiple number of buds.
The apical bud is usually included, but other species can be readily grafted using
scions with only axillary buds. Where the scion consists of a single bud, the
grafting method is especially termed budding.

What is Grafting: Method of Plant Propagation and Other Uses

1. Plant Propagation. In some plant species and varieties, grafting is the better
method of mass propagation where uniformity in plant characteristics is desired.
This is so in plants in which other asexual methods are ineffective. It is also
employed where other methods do not allow the production of a big number of
planting materials in the shortest time possible. While budding has the potential
of producing more clones from a single mother plant because scions with a
single bud are used, the growth of the scion is slow and it will take more time to
produce the right sizes of budded plants for outplanting. Plant cuttings generally
exhibit the same growth rate.

2. Producing Composite Plants with Rootstocks Having Special

Characteristics. Desirable scions can be grafted on rootstocks that are adapted to
certain conditions such as heavy, wet, or dry soils, or resistant to soilborne pests and
diseases. There are rootstocks also that will enhance the vigor or induce dwarfing of the
grafted plant. In citrus, some rootstocks favor the production of fruits with better size
and quality (Hartmann and Kester 1975).
In general, the compatibility of the rootstock and scion that leads to successful union
depends on how close they are in their taxonomic classification. The possibility of a
successful union is more ensured among plants within the same species. But
intergeneric grafting is now widely practiced in plant propagation to take advantage of
more adapted and disease resistant rootstocks. Examples are the eggplant (Solanum
melongena) and upo or bottle gourd (Lagenaria sicenaria), as rootstocks, with tomato
(Lycopersicon esculentum) and watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), respectively. Eggplant
and tomato belong to the family Solanaceae while bottle gourd and watermelon are
both members of the family Cucurbitaceae.

Old jokes in relation to what is grafting: (1) Q: Can bamboo and banana be grafted?
Ans: Yes, as in banana cue (a bamboo stick is used to pierce a fried sweetened plantain
for easy handling). (2) Q: Can bamboo and coconut be grafted? Ans: Yes, to
produce tuba or coconut toddy (a segment of bamboo culm is traditionally used as a
container into which the coconut inflorescence that is sliced daily is inserted to collect
the sweet coconut sap that exudes).

3. Conversion of Adult Trees to Desirable Types. Large, mature trees can be converted

to another species or variety having desirable characteristics by topworking (or top-
grafting). Regrafting of the top with scions obtained from “carabao” mango has been
applied in mango trees that have started fruiting but found to belong to an inferior
variety (click here to read). Intervarietal conversion is also resorted in association with
the rejuvenation of old and unproductive coffee. Likewise, some dioecious trees can be
converted from male to female to make them productive or from female to male to
ensure supply of pollen for the entire orchard.

4. Producing Botanical Curiosities. Special types of plants can be produced by grafting

two or more scions with different characteristics on the same rootstock. For example, a
mango tree can be topworked in a manner that different branches will bear different
fruit types. A croton or san francisco (Codiaeum variegatum) can also have a foliage with
different leaf types and variegation.

5. Artistic Enhancement. In bonsai, a tree that lacks an essential branch at certain part
of the trunk, or branch, can have one by grafting thereon a scion, usually by side or
approach grafting. This is a strategy applied in creating fine bonsai trees that requires a
substantial understanding on what is grafting and its various techniques.

6. Repairing Damaged Trees. Tree plants with damaged portions of the trunk are
common where there are goats and carabaos. Occasionally, damage to trunks and
branches is also caused by fire, insects, diseases, mechanical impact, and mishandling of
tools. These damaged parts can be repaired and saved by inarching or bridge-grafting.

7. Additional Anchorage and Support. In places that are prone to strong winds, it is
advantageous if tree crops are anchored well to the ground. Lodging can be prevented
or minimized by producing tripods or multiple-trunk trees by inarching. Similarly, weak
branches and split trunks can be prevented from breaking by brace grafting.

8. What is Grafting: Indexing for Virus Diseases. Some plants have strong tolerance to

virus diseases so that even if the disease is present, they exhibit little or no symptom. To
identify plants that may carry the virus, scions or buds from such plants are grafted onto
a healthy, susceptible indicatorplant. If the suspected plant from which the scion or bud
is derived is infected, the virus will be transmitted and the indicator plant will show the
symptoms of the disease (Hartmann and Kester 1975).
 List of Grafting Techniques Used in Plant
Propagation
There are many grafting techniques or methods. The choice of one
depends on many factors such as the skill and preference of the grafter,
percentage grafting success desired, the time required to achieve complete graft
union, the portion and size of the plant to be grafted, and the purpose of grafting.

Familiarity with the different methods is important in plant propagation and

other uses. But grafting is not easy. It needs plenty of practice and experience to
become one who can be considered as an expert.

It is not easy either to gauge how fast the grafting operation can be done.
But for mango, there are some who are capable of producing 400-500 grafts in
one day by manual cleft grafting with over 80% successful union. It took them
plenty of sweat - and wounded fingers too -  to become as fast.

The Various Grafting Techniques or Methods

1. Approach Grafting – a grafting technique in which two separate plants are
made to unite by tightly pressing the cut side surfaces of the stems. Preferably,
one or both plants are potted. As soon as the parts have united, the upper
portion of the rootstock stem is severed above the point of graft union and the
lower portion of the scion is removed below the graft union. There are various
forms of approach grafting.

2. Bark Grafting – a plant grafting technique in which small scions are inserted
into a large rootstock in between the bark and the wood. The rootstock is
decapitated and a downward linear cut is made through the bark starting from the
stub. The scion is prepared with a long slanting cut from one side toward its base
and a short cut on the opposite side which forms the base into a wedge.

The bark is then lifted at both sides of the cut and the prepared scion is
inserted between the bark and wood in such a manner that the long cut on the
scion is pressed against the wood on the rootstock. Both scion and barks are
nailed to the rootstock stem or bound tightly. In another technique, only one side
of the bark is lifted and the scion is inserted.

In yet another technique, two downward, parallel cuts are made from the
stub of the rootstock which are connected with a horizontal cut near the bottom
end. The bark is removed, leaving a small flap of bark at the bottom. The scion is
then inserted under the flap of bark and the long cut pressed to the wood of the
rootstock. The scion, as well as the flap of bark, are nailed to the rootstock or
bound tightly.
3. Bridge Grafting – a grafting technique used to repair damaged bark on a trunk
by attaching scions that will connect the live barks below and above the injured
patch, serving as live bridges. The scions are attached in close interval, their
number depending on the width of the injured bark.

The procedure in preparing the tree is similar to that in inarching, except

that two slots on the trunk of the tree are made, one below and another above
the injured bark. At each tip of the slots, a flap of bark is retained.

The scions to be used are slightly longer than the distance from the end of
the top slot and the end of the bottom slot. Each is prepared with a long, slanting
cut at each end, both of which are at the same side of the stem. A short, slanting
cut is then made at the side opposite the first cut so that both ends form a
wedge. The wedged ends of each of the scions are then inserted under the flaps
of bark at the upper and bottom slots in a manner that each curves slightly
outward. The scions are nailed through the flaps of bark or bound tightly.

4. Cleft or Wedge Grafting – a grafting technique in which a rootstock is first

decapitated at the portion of the stem where there is active growth, followed by a
downward cut (the cleft) through the center of the stem starting from the stub.
The scion is prepared with a slanting cut at one side at the base and a similar cut
at the opposite side so that the base is wedge- or V-shaped (about 4-6 cm long
in pencil-size scions). The base of the scion is inserted into the cleft at the top of
the decapitated rootstock. Two small scions may be inserted, one at each side of
the rootstock to ensure cambial contact.

5. Inarching – as in approach grafting, both rootstock and scion plants are self
sustaining, both are cut on one side, and the cut surfaces are pressed together.
But in inarching, the top of the rootstock does not extend above the point of the
graft union.

The scion plant, for example a tree on which additional trunk is to be joined,
is prepared by two adjacent, long vertical cuts on the bark. It is followed by two
horizontal cuts that connect the vertical cuts, one at the bottom and another just
below the top. The rectangular piece of bark is then removed with a short flap of
bark still remaining at the top.

The rootstock, or seedling that is to become the additional trunk, is

prepared by removing the top portion of the shoot, then making a deep cut
through the wood at the side adjacent to the scion. The length of this cut
from the decapitated portion of the stem matches the cut on the scion tree.
Opposite to this cut and at the tip, a short cut is made to form it into the
shape of a wedge.
The cut surface on the seedling stem is pressed tightly to the cut surface on the
tree with the wedged tip covered by the flap of bark. The seedling is then nailed
to the tree or secured tightly by a tying material.

6. Saddle Grafting - this is similar to cleft grafting except that the wedge is on the
rootstock and the cleft is at the base of the scion. The rootstock is first
decapitated and a slanting cut is made from one side of the stem toward the
center of stub and a similar cut is made at the opposite side. A slit (the cleft) is
made by pressing a knife at the base of the scion. The base of the scion is then
pushed into the rootstock in such a manner that the wedged end of the rootstock
is inserted into the cleft of the scion.

7. Saw-Kerf or Notch Grafting - a thick rootstock is first decapitated. An inward

cut is then made almost to the center of the stub with the use of a thin-bladed,
fine-toothed saw. Three saw cuts that are distributed around the stub are usually
made. With the use of a sharp, round-bladed knife, the cuts are widened to fit the
scion. The basal end of the scion is cut to a long wedge, in a manner that it
tapers downward and with the outer edge slightly thicker than the inside edge.

8. Side Grafting – a grafting technique in which the scion is inserted into the side
of the rootstock which is generally larger in diameter than the scion. There are
several variations of side grafting.

9. Splice Grafting - a technique of grafting plants that is similar to the first cut in
whip or tonque grafting, that is, a long slanting cut is made on the rootstock stem
(about 30 degrees from vertical) with a matching cut at the scion base. The
surfaces of both cuts are pressed together and bound tightly. This technique is
applied in grafting three-week old tomato (as scion) on four-week old eggplant
rootstocks, with the difference that the cut surfaces are fitted through a small
tubing.

10. Whip or Tonque Grafting – a grafting technique in which the rootstock is

decapitated with a long slanted cut at the portion of the stem where there is
active growth and a similar cut is made at the scion base, just like in splice
grafting; a second cut is made partly across each slanted cut starting about one-
third of the length of the cut from the tip towards the base of the cut. As a result,
they form “tonques” which hook the scion firmly onto the rootstock. This grafting
technique favors more cambial contact and is intended for small materials.
Preferably, both scion and rootstock have identical sizes. As in the other types of
grafting techniques, the scions are pressed to the rootstock with the buds
pointing outward.

ABELLANOSA AL, PAVA HM. 1987. Introduction to Crop Science. CMU,

Musuan, Bukidnon: Publications Office. 245 p.
HARTMANN HT, KESTER DE. 1975. Plant Propagation: Principles and
Practices. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall Inc. 662 p.

(Ben G. Bareja May 2011)