Fusing rootstocks

[TheGivingTree]

Recently learned from another forum member that you can fuse two rootstocks and graft one scion onto the fused "double rootstock" for increased growth, health and production. I assume this would work great for slow fruiting species and zone pushers.

Does anyone have data on this?

[simon_grow]

Here’s some information on multiple rootstock trees.

https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=109.0

The climate, species of fruit and rootstocks can significantly affect the outcome.

I specifically did a lot of double and multiple rootstock experiments with mangos. In my climate, double stone grafting with mature scions is a horrible idea because the mature scions causes too much precocity and twelve in trees will flower and attempt to hold fruit which ultimately stunts their growth.

https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=16549.0

Double or multiple rootstock grafting mangos with seedlings works excellent. I basically innarched multiple mango seedlings together and cut off all the tops except for one. This creates a tree that is very strong and grows at an incredible rate.

https://tropicalfruitforum.com/index.php?topic=20852.0

In Florida or other warmer climates, the double or multiple rootstock trees grafted with mature scions will probably increase yields and precocity.

Simon

[TheGivingTree]

Thank you for the links, going to try it with mango, lychee, loquat and a few others. Will report back in time.

Can anything special be done to cause seedling rootstock to fuse faster?

[simon_grow]

Yes, innarching in the epicotyl stage significantly increases the chances for a successful graft and the union also heals significantly faster at the epicotyl stage.

The next best time to graft is during the Greenwood stage. Once the wood lignifies, the success rate goes down.

Simon

[simon_grow]

Oh yeah,

If you’re going to innarch Lychees and you have the time and resources, you may want to innarch a Longan to the Lychee seedlings. The Longan may or may not accelerate growth. I was planning I doing this but I have too many projects already.

There is some preliminary reports of successful lychee grafts onto Longan. If you do the experiment suggested above, you may want to try leaving the top as Lychee and on another plant, leave the top as Longan.

Don’t graft the tops with mature scions until the trees get bigger. I made this mistake with an Emperor approach grafted onto a seedling and the graft was successful but the tree is dwarfed because it keeps wanting to flower. The tree is planted at Brad’s (Spaugh’s) orchard.

Simon

[Triloba Tracker]

I've been wanting to try this with Asimina triloba for a couple years. I don't know anyone who's tried it.

I even set out to do it in pots and in the ground by planting multiple seeds close together, but have chickened-out every time.

I'm afraid i'll kill all the stocks if the in-arching fails.

[simon_grow]

I've been wanting to try this with Asimina triloba for a couple years. I don't know anyone who's tried it.

I even set out to do it in pots and in the ground by planting multiple seeds close together, but have chickened-out every time.

I'm afraid i'll kill all the stocks if the in-arching fails.

I would just go for it. Plant extra seeds so you have more rootstocks than you need. In reality, I had close to 100% with my approach grafts onto seedlings. With older wood, the percentage of takes goes down.

Simon