Interspecific Blueberry Grafting, a Way to Extend Vaccinium Culture to Different Soils1

Abstract

Several blueberry species were successfully intergrafted. A graft combination of particular horticultural promise in North Carolina was highbush blueberry ( V. corymbosum L.) scions grafted onto rabbiteye blueberry ( V. ashei Reade) rootstocks, which took advantage of the superior soil adaptability and vigor of the rabbiteye species. Spring grafting and midsummer T-budding were the most successful grafting methods. Stock-scion compatibility was very broad; 24 different highbush scions were successfully grafted onto rabbiteye and sparkleberry ( V. arboreum Marsh) roots. Delayed incompatibility symptoms were not found 7 to 10 yrs after grafting. Grafted plants produced new sprouts (“suckers”) from the rootstock crown area, which had to be removed annually. Sucker production increased with age, and varied with season and rootstock. Grafted highbush on rabbiteye plants succeeded in growth and fruiting on several soils on which ungrafted highbush plants had previously failed. Yields of grafted plants were average for the scion cultivar, varying with soil type differences and with number of grafts per plant. Blueberry scion cultivars tended to perform better on one or the other of 2 different rootstocks.