الفهرس 
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Effect of grafting on vegetative growthOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The experiments were performed in plastic house at kaha
Research station, Horticulture Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture,
during 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 seasons.
The experiment aimed to:
1. Evaluate the possibility of reducing plant density for grafted
tomato, cucumber and cantaloupe onto different type of
rootstocks.
2. Study the effect of grafting on the vegetative growth, yield and
chemical contents of grafted tomato, cucumber and cantaloupe
plants.
Experiment treatments were as follow:
1) Different rootstocks for the three crops:
Tomato plants:
Agiad 19 was grafted onto three rootstocks:
1. Solanum lycopersicum var.TMOSOSOF1
2. Solanum lycopersicum var. TM10003F1
3. Solanum melongena
Cucumber and cantaloupe plants:
Hesham cultivar as a scion for cucumber plants and
Galia cultivar for cantaloupe were grafted onto three
rootstocks:
1. Cucurbita ficifolia
2. Cucurbita maxima
3. Super Shintosa (Cucurbita maxima *Cucurbita
moschata)
2) Three plant spacing (50, 75 and 100cm).
The experiment treatments were arranged according to split plot
design with three replicates, where plant spacing level distributed in the
main plots and grafted rootstocks were allocated in sub plots.Plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, total leaf area, total
fresh and dry weight of plant, chlorophyll reading, early and total yield ,
fruit parameters and growth analysis (net assimilation rate, relative
growth rate and leaf area ratio) were measured. The mineral analyses (N,
P and K) in cucumber and cantaloupe fourth leaf and in tomato third leaf
were determined.
The obtained results could be summarized as follows:
Tomato experiment:
Vegetative growth:
1. Regarding the plant spacing, vegetative growth (plant height,
number of leaves, stem diameter, total leaf area, number of cluster
and fresh weight) of plants at 75 cm plant spacing was significantly
higher than that at 50 cm plant spacing in both seasons. The lowest
vegetative parameters were obtained under 100cm plant spacing
conditions.
2. Concerning the different rootstocks type, the results indicated that
vegetative growth parameters increased with the TM1003F1
rootstock followed by TM05050F1in both seasons.
3. Concerning the interaction between the plant spacing and
rootstocks, the vegetative characteristics under TM1003F1 with 75
cm plant spacing levels showed the highest values in the two
studied seasons.
Early yield:
1. Early yield under 75 cm plant spacing recorded the highest value
comparing with the other plant spacing.
2. The highest early yield was observed when plants were grafted onto
TM1003F1 rootstock in both seasons.
3. Concerning the interaction between the plant spacing and
rootstocks, the highest early yield was obtained when 75 cm was
used combined with grafted plants onto hybrid rootstock
TM1003F1.Total yield:
Similar trends as vegetative growth were recorded, where the
highest total yield was recorded by plants cultivated using 75 cm plant
spacing, and grafted onto TM1003F1 rootstock. While the highest
yield observed by combining 75 cm plant spacing combined with
grafting onto hybrid rootstock TM1003F1.
Fruits parameters:
Data indicated that there was no effect of plant spacing and
grafting and their interaction on main fruit length, diameter, shape
index, SSC% and vitamin C.
Mineral content of leaves:
1. Plant spacing levels significantly affected the mineral percentage of
N, P, K, dry weight and chlorophyll reading. Using 75 cm plant
spacing gave the highest average values of mineral percentage of
tomato third leaf.
2. Grafting onto TM1003F1 rootstock increased percentages of
mineral, while the lowest mineral percent was obtained by nongrafted
plants (Agiad19) during both seasons.
3. Concerning the interaction effect between different plant spacing
levels and different rootstocks type on mineral percentage, it was
concluded that the highest value was recorded in plants cultivated
using 75 cm plant spacing combined with TM1003F1 rootstock
treatment.
Growth analysis
1. Using 75 cm plant spacing with white eggplant rootstock treatment
showed the greatest value of leaf area ratio
2. Using TM10003F1 as a rootstock combined with 75 cm plant
spacing led to increase net assimilation rate
3. Using 75 cm plant spacing combined with grafting onto
TM10003F1 rootstock showed the greatest value of relative growth
rate.Cucumber experiment:
Vegetative growth:
1. Effect of plant spacing treatments on vegetative growth parameters
(plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, total leaf area and
fresh weight) was determined after 4, 8 and 12 weeks from
transplanting date. There were no significant effects after 4 weeks.
While, after 8 and 12 weeks 75 cm plant spacing level was
significantly higher than that 50 cm plant spacing level in both
seasons, the lowest vegetative parameters were obtained under
100cm plant spacing conditions.
2. Concerning grafting onto rootstocks, the results indicated that
vegetative growth parameters were increased with grafting plants
onto the Super Shintosa hybrid rootstock in both seasons.
3. The interaction between the plant spacing and rootstocks showed
that grafting onto Super Shintosa combined with 75 cm plant
spacing level showed the highest values of vegetative parameters in
the two studied seasons.
Early and total yield:
1. Early and total yield were increased when 75 cm plant spacing was
used followed by 50 cm, while the lowest early and total yield were
obtained using 100 cm.
2. Early and total yield were increased by grafting onto Super Shintosa
rootstock in both seasons.
3. The highest early and total yield was recorded when plants were
cultivated using 75 cm as plant spacing and grafted onto Super
Shintosa. While, the lowest early yield per plant was recorded by
non-grafted (Hesham) plants combined with 100 cm plant spacing
treatment.
Fruits parameters
1. Using 75cm plant spacing recorded the highest values of fruit length
and weight. However, there were no significant differences among
plant spacing levels regarding fruit diameter.2. The highest cucumber fruit length and weight were obtained with
plants grafted onto Super Shintosa rootstock. While, the lowest
value was obtained by plants grafted onto Cucurbita ficifolia
rootstock. However, there were no significant differences among
different rootstocks in fruit diameter.
3. The highest fruit length and weight were recorded by the plants
cultivated using 75 cm as plant spacing grafted onto Super Shintosa
rootstock.
Mineral content of leaves:
The type of rootstocks and plant spacing treatment significantly
affected the mineral content in cucumber fourth leaf during both
growing seasons.
1. Using 75cm plant spacing gave the highest average values of N, P,
K, dry weight and chlorophyll reading.
2. Grafting plants onto Super Shintosa rootstock increased the mineral
percentage, while the lowest mineral percentage (NPK) was
obtained by non-grafted plants.
3. Concerning the interaction effect between different plant spacing
levels and different rootstocks on mineral percentage, the highest
value was recorded by plants using 75 cm plant spacing combined
with Super Shintosa rootstock treatment.
Growth analysis
Using 75cm plant spacing combined with using Super Shintosa as
a rootstock showed the greatest value of leaf area ratio, net
assimilation rate and relative growth rate. While, the lowest value was
found in Cucurbita ficifolia rootstock combined with 100cm plant
spacing treatment.
Cantaloupe experiment
Vegetative growth:
1. Effect of plant spacing treatments on vegetative growth parameters
(plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter, total leaf area and
plant fresh weight) was estimated. The highest significant value of plant height was observed using 50 cm plant spacing in the early
stage of cantaloupe plants, however after 8 and 12 weeks the
highest plant fresh weight was clear in 75cm plant spacing in both
seasons. While, highest significant values of number of leaves, stem
diameter, total leaf area and fresh weight were observed with 75 cm
plant spacing treatment.
2. Concerning the different rootstocks, the results indicated that
vegetative growth parameters increased when plants were grafted
onto Super Shintosa. While, the lowest plant fresh weight occurred
when non-grafted Galia F1 plants, in both seasons.
3. The interaction between the plant spacing and rootstocks indicated
that Super Shintosa with 75cm plant spacing levels showed the
highest values of vegetative parameters in both studied seasons.
Early yield:
There no significant differences in early yield per plant were
noticed, in the both studied seasons, due to plant spacing, rootstocks or
the interaction between them.
Total yield:
1. Total fruit yield was increased when plants were cultivated using
75cm plant spacing comparing with the other plant spacings.
2. Different rootstocks affected total yield significantly, where grafting
plants onto Super Shintosa rootstock increased total yield
comparing with the other rootstocks.
3. The highest total yield was obtained when 75 cm plant spacing
combined with grafting onto Super Shintosa rootstock was used.
Fruits physical parameters:
1. No significant differences among different plant spacing levels
concerning fruit length, weight and flesh thickness. However, the
higher cantaloupe fruit diameter was found by 75 cm treatment.
2. There were no significant differences among different rootstocks
regarding fruit weight and flesh thickness, while, the highest cantaloupe fruit length and diameter were obtained under Super
Shintosa rootstock.
3. The highest interaction in cantaloupe fruit length, diameter, weight
and flesh thickness were recorded by the plants cultivated at 75 cm
plant spacing grafted onto Super Shintosa rootstock.
Fruits chemical content:
1. The highest effective cantaloupe fruit chemical contents soluble
solids, vitamin C and total sugar were recorded by 75 cm plant
spacing treatment.
2. The highest cantaloupe fruit chemical contents were obtained by
grafting the plants onto Super Shintosa rootstock. While, the lowest
value was found under Galia F1 (control) treatment.
3. The highest interactions values in cantaloupe chemical contents
were recorded by the plants cultivated under Super Shintosa
rootstock and 75 cm plant spacing treatment.
Mineral content of leaves:
The type of rootstocks and plant spacing treatment significantly
affected the mineral percentage in cantaloupe leaves.
1. Plant spacing levels significantly affected the mineral content.
Planting at 75cm plant spacing gave the highest average values of
N, P, K, dry weight and chlorophyll.
2. Plants grafted onto Super Shintosa rootstock increased the mineral
percentage, while the lowest mineral percentage (NPK) was
obtained by non-grafted plants Galia F1.
3. The highest value of mineral percentage was recorded in plants
cultivated at 75cm plant spacing combined with grafting plants onto
Super Shintosa rootstock.
Growth analysis
Planting at 75 cm plant spacing combined with grafting onto
Super Shintosa rootstock showed the greatest value of net
assimilation rate and relative growth rate. While, the greatest leaf
area ratio was found by grafting onto Cucurbita maxima rootstock cultivated at 50 cm in the first season. However, using 75cm plant
spacing with Super Shintosa rootstock treatment showed the greatest
value in the second season.
Conclusion:
from the previous findings, it can be concluded that the growth
parameters and fruit yield increased by using grafting on hybrid
rootstocks throughout the growing season, which stimulated and
encouraged tomato, cucumber and cantaloupe plant growth.
Using 75cm gave the highest plant growth characters and yield,
and led to increase in most measured characters.
On the other hand, grafting onto Super Shintosa and TM10003F1
recorded positive effect on most studied parameters especially total
yield.