Management after grafting
- To avoid breakage from wind, the seedling should be tied to a support stick as it grows above 25 cm.
- Remove rootstock suckers after grafting.
- Water the grafted plants regularly and fertilise them when the scion is actively growing with a balanced NPK fertiliser.
- Maintain a weed-free area around the plants.
- Cut the grafting tape when the new growth is 1.2–1.8 m long.
Conclusion
Jujubes can be propagated by various methods such as wedge/cleft grafting, whip grafting and bark grafting as well as budding. Local propagators have better success with budding but find that wedge grafting leads to a stronger tree. Most of the latest research into propagation is in micropropagation and tissue culture however this technique is mainly used for research and breeding new cultivars and not in a commercial capacity.
Much of the success of grafting depends on not only performing a technically correct graft but performing the graft at the proper time of year and management and care of the scion after grafting.
Acknowledgements
Financial support for this work has been provided by AgriFutures Australia. The sharing of information from jujube growers and members of the WA Jujube Growers Association Inc. is greatly appreciated.
References
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Hartmann, H.T., Kester, D.E., Davies Jr, F.T., 1990 ‘Plant propagation: Principles and practices’ Fifth Edition, Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
Liu, M, Wang, M (chief editors) et al 2009 ‘Germplasm resources of Chinese jujube’. China Forestry Publishing House. Beijing, China.
Liu, M. 2006 ‘Chinese jujube: Botany and horticulture’ Horticultural Review, Volume 32 (ed J. Janick), John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Oxford, UK.
Yao S, Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba) Grafting, New Mexico State University. Available from: http://aces.nmsu.edu/pubs/_h/H335/welcome.html