Seedlings grown from seed production are called live seedlings, and those propagated by branches are called nutrient-propagated seedlings, also known as grafted seedlings.

The so-called grafting is a method of propagation in which a part of a plant's nutritive organ, a branch or a bud, is grafted onto another plant so that the two heal and grow together to become a new individual. The branch or bud that is taken is called the scion, and the part of the plant that bears the scion is called the rootstock. Seedlings propagated by grafting are called grafted seedlings. Grafted seedlings are characterized by the nutrients and water absorbed by the rootstock and transported to the scion, which in turn transports the assimilated material to the rootstock, forming a ****-biotic relationship between the two.

The advantages of grafting are: fast seedling, early flowering; in the use of live seedlings, especially the use of some wild varieties of live seedlings as rootstock grafted seedlings, their resistance to adverse environmental conditions and adaptability is better, the growth potential is more vigorous, the plant's life expectancy is also longer; in the introduction of valuable varieties, the use of grafting propagation can also be a great saving of propagation materials to improve the yield of seedlings.

For flowers, grafting also has a special meaning. Through grafting can adjust the shape of the plant, cultivate potted plants with artistic value, or grafted on the same rootstock several varieties, so that a plant at the same time to bloom several colors of flowers, thus increasing the artistic interest, improve the ornamental value.

While grafting has its advantages, but it also has shortcomings, that is, the operation of the process is more cumbersome, the technical requirements are high, but also with the scion has a strong affinity for the rootstock, and prior to cultivate a good rootstock seedling, the production process is more complex.

One, the advantages of grafting

(a) to overcome the shortcomings of some plants are not easy to propagate

Some garden plants cuttings or pressure strips are not easy to survive the fine varieties, or seeding reproduction can not maintain its excellent characteristics of plants can be grafted propagation, such as dwarf ornamental peaches, plums and other heavy petals.

(B) to maintain the original variety of good traits

Because the propagation of the scion traits are stable, to maintain the plant's excellent traits, and the rootstock will not generally have an impact on the scion's heredity.

(C) can improve the resistance of scion varieties

Grafting rootstock has many excellent characteristics, which in turn affects the scion, so that the scion's resistance to pests and diseases, cold resistance, drought resistance, and resistance to thinning of the back improved.

(D) Early flowering and fruiting

Since the scion is already in the mature stage when grafted, the rootstock has a strong root system, which can provide sufficient nutrients to make it grow vigorously and help nutrient accumulation. So grafted seedlings grow stronger than live seedlings or cuttings, and flower and bear fruit earlier.

(E) Changing the shape of plants

By choosing rootstocks, seedlings of different shapes can be cultivated

(F) Faster seedling formation

Since the rootstocks are easier to obtain, and the scion only uses a small section of the branch or a bud, the reproduction period is short, and a large number of seedlings can be produced.

(7) Improvement of ornamental and promotion of mutation

For cactus plants, after grafting, due to the rootstock and scion influence each other, the form of the scion is more ornamental than the mother plant. Some grafted species have mutated and produced new species due to the interaction of genetic material.

Second, the shortcomings of grafting

(a) limitations

Grafting is mainly limited to dicotyledonous plants, and monocotyledonous plants are more difficult to survive, even if they do survive, the life expectancy is also shorter.

(ii) Labor and time-consuming

Grafting and management require a certain amount of manpower and time, and the cultivation of rootstocks requires a certain amount of human resources.

(C) Technical

Grafting is a highly technical work, and it is necessary to train skilled technicians.

Significance of cuttings propagation method. '

(1) Cuttings propagation method can preserve the excellent traits of the parent plant, especially to keep the plant characteristics of different good varieties from mutating. Fang Peihua reported in 1987, Cenxi soft branch oil tea seedling, can maintain the parent traits of only 78.34%, the mutation rate of 21.66% a 32.13%, and cuttings propagated asexual line was not found to have mutated.

(2) Short growth cycle, early flowering and fruiting. Generally, cuttings are rooted in 10 to 50 days, and can bloom in 1-2 years, while the seedling propagated by seed takes 6-7 years to bloom.

(3)Cuttings propagation is easier than seed propagation or grafting propagation, rapid propagation, fast seedling, which is important for the rapid propagation of good varieties of plants.1992, Huang Jinguang and other reports, Guangxi Baise tea farms use cuttings propagation technology to quickly, a large number of breeding tea seedlings, and achieved good results.

(4) Wide range of application. Especially for those plant varieties that do not bear fruit and those that are difficult to collect seeds, slow growth with seed propagation or germination difficulties, cuttings can be used to propagate.