Raising grafts and trees in the nursery Aims of raising grafts

. Propagation trees and shrubs difficult to propagate by autovegetative means . Production of composite plants with traits determined by more than one genom . Production of trees and shrubs with special growth habits (sphaeroid, compact, hanging, shrubs on high trunks, combi-trees, trained forms)

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 2 Stages of graft raising

. Raising of rootstock: until the required size - for bench grafting in previous years - grafting in root collar 6 – 12 month - for topworking 2-4 years . Creation the graft - during rootstock raising: budding in autumn, grafting in spring as the rootstock reached the required height - separate process: bench grafting on bareroot or potted rootstocks . Raising grafts until the required size and quality:

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 3 Classification of fruit trees by ENA standards . One year grafted trees (maidens)

. Feathered fruit tree (2-3 years) - minimum two years cultivation at wide spacing, - side branches may have been pruned appropriate to species/cvs

. Pyramid fruit tree - pyramidal appearance, straight leading shoot - regularly distributed main branches not lower than 30 cm from graft

. Bush fruit tree: same as pyramid but no leading shoot

. Branched fruit tree (Knipboom) - one year graft cut back at min. 40 cm from soil level - well distributed 3-4 shoots on the new growth between 50-100 cm from soil level

. Standard trees: dwarf, short, half, full standard

. Trained forms: horizontal cordons (one or two arms), oblique palmet (single or two stage), single or double U, two stage U, horizontal espalier, fan.

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 4 Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 5 One year grafted trees Species Rootstock Ø mm (10 cm Height cm above graft union) Top fruit any 10 100 Exceptions:

Apple M.7, M.9, M.26, MM. 106, A.2 (M.27) 10 80 (70) Pear Quince 10 80 Cherry Others than mahaleb, mazzard seedling 10 80 Peach Almond, plum 10 80 Almond Plum 10 80 Plum Myrobalan 8 100 Any dwarf, St. Julien 8 80 Walnut, chestnut Bench graft 10 20 Plate or tongue graft 20 100

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 6 Two – three years feathered trees

. Height in cm from collar - 100-125 (only walnut!) - 125-150 - 150-200 - 200-250 - 250-300 . Above 300 cm girth measured at 100 cm: 6-8 cm, 8-10 cm,10-12 cm, 12-14 cm etc.

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 7 Standard trees

. Height of the stem in cm, . Girth in cm, measured at measured from the collar 100 cm above soil level to the lowest branch (30 cm for dwarf standard, - dwarf standard 50 cm 60 cm for short standard) - short standard 80 cm - 5 cm minimum - half standard 130 cm - 6-8 cm - full standard 180 cm - 8-10 cm, - 10-12 cm, - 12-14 cm etc.

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 8 Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 9 Pyramid and bush trees

. Straight leading shoot, regularly distributed branches, lowest at 30-45 cm from the graft. Bush fruit tree: no leading shoot. . Number of laterals in addition to leader: - two years: 4 - three years: 6 - four years: 8 - five years: 10 - six years: 12.

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 10 Branched fruit tree (Knipboom)

. Minimum length of the shoots - with 3 shoots 30 cm - with 4 shoots 15 cm . Minimum leader length 50 cm from its base . Minimum leader diameter 9 mm measured at 10 cm from its base . Minimum stem diameter measured at 10 cm above grafting point : 12 mm

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 11 Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 12 Container grown trees Knipboom in container . Each above tree classes may be container grown - one year graft - branched - standard - etc. . Minimum volume of container 7.5 litres, except one year grafted plants

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 13 One year graft Half standard tree in container

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 14 Tree quality requirements of professional fruit growers are different! . Budded understock sold with dormant eyes - high density orchards (5000 trees/ha <) - special aftercare is required! . One year grafted trees with sylleptic branches - spontaneous branching depends on species and cultivar, typical to stone fruit cultivars especially in South-South- East-Europe - application of branching agent (Promalin, Accel, Arbolin, Paturyl) recommended . Branched fruit tree (Knipboom) . Bibaum, Y tree for special training systems

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 15 Branching Branching after shoot after benzyl- tip removal adenin (BA) application Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 16 No pruning after planting on feathered trees

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 17 One year grafts with sylleptic shoots

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 18 One year grafted peach tree for spindle or palmetta

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 19 One year peach grafts for open center canopy (left) and palmetta (right)

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 20 Two years old bench grafted walnut trees

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 21 Budded understock with dormant eyes

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 22 Raising grafts by budding

Lining up rootstock (raising for one year) - seedlings, rooted cuttings or layers - germinated seeds (peach and almond) - germinated seeds in pots, potted in vitro plants

Raising maidens (2. year) - maiden (whip) - one year graft with laterals

Two years grafts (3. year) - heading - trunk renewal (knip-boom) - renewal of feathers

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 23 Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 24 Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 25 Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 26 Raising grafts by bench grafting (grafting is separate!)

1. year: field of maidens - planting bench grafts - budded understock with dormant eyes

2. year: two years grafts - heading the leader - trunk renewal (knip-boom)

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 27 Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 28 Grafting in field

1. Year (or more at topworked ornamentals): raising rootstock trunk

2. year: grafting and raising grafts - grafting at soil level - topworking

3-4. years: Topworked ornamentals

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 29 Trunk height 1,6 m, Trunk: Stella, scion: Kanzan Trunk height 2,2 m

Topworked ornamental trees

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 30 Topworked container grown ornamentals

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 31 Factors influencing root quality

. Soil type and quality . Soilborn pests and diseases . Specific replant disease, SRD . Rootstock liner quality (graded, root undercut) . Root pruning before lining up (at replants too) . Pinching the root tip (at germinated seeds) . Irrigation method . Row design (single row, double row), plant distance

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 32 SRD affected mazzard liners

Soil fumigation using Climax machine

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 33 Factors influencing root quality

. Soil type and quality . Soilborn pests and diseases . Specific replant disease, SRD . Rootstock liner quality (graded, root undercut) . Root pruning before lining up (at replants too) . Pinching the root tip (at germinated seeds) . Irrigation method . Row design (single row, double row), plant distance

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 34 Root quality affected by practices: pinching, liner quality (seedling or cutting), root pruning

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 35 Influence of plant density (tree nr / running m) on peach graft sizes

30 trunk caliper shoot thickness 20 10 0 1 3 5 7 9 11

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 36 Difficulties in determining optimal plant density

. Larger density – larger labour efficiency . During raising the density may change unevenly . The only chance: maximum growing on, maximum outcomes, (increases uniform quality)

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 37 Trunk raising

. From terminal bud: if terminal buds are large, lateral buds are subordinated (pruning back reduces growth, results curves in trunk)

. Trunk raising with heading - yearly regular heading (difficulties with straight trunk) - pruning beck to the soil until in one year straight and high enough trunk is developed (Salix alba ‘Tristis’, Celtis)

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 38 Factors influencing trunk quality

. Budding method and height (curves above budding) . Time of pruning back (wound healing is different) . Injuries on shoot tip of leader, heading, pinching . Removal of rootstock shoots and laterals on trunk . Treatment of laterals on trunk . Using sticks and stakes

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 39 Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 40 Factors influencing trunk quality

. Budding method and height (curves above budding) . Time of pruning back (wound healing is different) . Injuries on shoot tip of leader, heading, pinching . Removal of rootstock shoots and laterals on trunk . Treatment of laterals on trunk . Using sticks and stakes

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 41 Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 42 Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 43 Trunk height 1,6 m, Trunk: Stella, scion: Kanzan Trunk height 2,2 m

Regular trunk treatment is essential

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 44 Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 45 Canopy raising, practices for improved branching . Spontaneous branching - solitaire and park-trees - one-year stone fruit trees - peach . Controlled branching - headings or pruning back - branching agents on fruit trees

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 46 Spontaneous branching on one-year-old peach

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 47 Spontaneous branching on one year grafts Controlled branching on two years feathered trees (plum)

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 48 Practices improving branching

. One year old fruit trees: - pinching or pruning of terminal shoot, - pinching or pruning of terminal leaves, - using branching agents (Promalin, Accel, Arbolin, BA solution) . Two years fruit trees: - heading the leader in spring - trunk renewal (knipp-boom) - canopy renewal (trees with feathers from previous years) - using branching agents (Promalin, Accel, Arbolin, BA solution)

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 49 Leaf removal

Shoot tip removal

Leaf removal combined with branching agent (BA) Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 50 Crotch angle of sylleptic shoots depending on position

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 51 Crotch angle of secondary shoots left on the tree depending on budding height Height

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 52 Trunk renewal in orchard and in nursery (Knipboom)

Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 53 Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 54 Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 55 Raising grafts Prof. Dr. Hrotkó Károly 56