CLEFT GRAFTING

Last year during our summer class, we applied what we had learn in asexual propagation of plants. Propagation is one vital aspect to be considered in crop production. Plant propagation is the process of multiplying or increasing the number of plants of a particular species. There are two methods of plant propagation: sexual (seed) – entrails there combination of genetic. Asexual (vegetative) – progeny are genetic copies of the parent plant (clones) or involves the reproduction from the vegetative parts of the plants.

And we practice one method of asexual propagation which is grafting. Grafting is the art of connecting two piece of living plant tissue together in such a manner that they graft will be unite and subsequently grow and develop as one composite plants. We practice the cleft grafting method and these are the methodologies:

1.       Prepared scion and rootstocks.

2.       Prepared tools such as grafting knife, plastic sheet and plastic cover.

3.       Remove the leaves of the scion and wrap it with plastic sheet starting from the apex to the base. The sheet should overlap and snugly fit to prevent air spaces that might be filled with moisture and cause rotting. Cut the base into a smooth wedge. a

4.       Cut off the rootstock at its semi hardwood portion seeing to it that it approximates the scion. Make a slit the length of which as the same as the wedge cut in the scion.

5.       Insert the scion onto the rootstock.

6.       Tie the graft tightly with is the same as the wedge cut in the scion.

7.       Cover the scion with a small plastic sheet.

8.       When the new shoots starts from the apex of the scion, remove the plastic bag. Unwrap the scion up to the graft point when the leaves have developed. Only after the leaves have matured can the graft point be untied.

It is very exciting topic especially when you able to performed the right and successful one.