Intraspecific grafting and anatomical compatibility of Eugenia stipitata Mc Vaugh

Abstract

The E. stipitata is a native fruit tree from the Amazon, currently in the domestication phase due to its high nutritional and economic potential. In this process, studies aiming at the technical feasibility of propagating materials with desirable agronomic qualities are necessary but still incipient. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate different grafting methods forE. stipitata propagation and the compatibility between scion and rootstock using anatomical analysis as a tool. For the experiment, a randomized block design was used in a split-plot scheme over time, with three replications. The plots consisted of three grafting types: cleft grafting, side-veneer grafting, and budding. The subplots were four evaluation times: 30, 60, 90, and 120 days after grafting (DAG). The evaluated variables were the grafting success rate, the number of shoots per graft, shoot length, and shoot diameter. There was a significant interaction between the factors under study. During the experimental period, an increasing grafting success rate and the number of shoots emitted were observed for budding, although with a low success rate. Through cleft grafting, there was a complete loss of shoots at 120 DAG, leading to the subsequent death of all tissues. Budding grafting appears as a promising method for E. stipitata propagation, demonstrating vascular tissue connection feasibility, although this effect did not reflect in the grafting success rate.