Top Clef Grafting Jackfruit 2

  Continue from

Top Clef Grafting Jackfruit

Came back to our little farm on the 30th August. Was very anxious to check out my Jackfruit grafting. This is the third time doing Jackfruit grafting. Once I collect and send off our produce to the market I proceed with the inspection.

Was disappointed as I see most of the graft dried off. The next few days was spent on analyzing why the graft did not 'take'. Took off a couple of the failed grafting. Started to redo on a go slow mode while trying to analyses what went wrong.

Most of the plastic bags covering the scion were blew off due to strong wind. Storage of the grafted trees where not shaded sufficiently. This caused the scion to dry out and die off. Being a tropical country, the sun here is extremely hot in the afternoon.

 I also notice in order to match the diameter of a medium rootstock, I find the scion to be quite hard and difficult to shape as it is 'woody'. I noticed the joint is not flat due to to the difficulty in shaping. This doesn't give a good cambium contact.

Went back to basic, the cambuim. Was the cambuim properly identify? Cambuim contact good?  

 

Source: http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/lectf03am/

 Cut off some branches, rootstock and scion to inspect the cambium.

 Cambium is the layer just beneath the bark. Had identified that it's the thin translucent brown color layer. While studying these, I realized that my eyesight is not as good as it used to be. Must be due to my aging. Bought a magnifying glass to help. As Keningau is a small town, I only manged to buy a cheap 5 X magnifying glass.

Since am back to basic, why I wanted to graft Jackfruit? As I had identified Jackfruit grows in our local condition and is pretty drought resistance. Have 2 Jackfruit trees in our little farm and it only requires minimum care. Planning to propagate and plant Jackfruit on a small scale for it's fruit. Grafting can provide a good variety (clone) of planting stock and let it bear fruit earlier. Since I have 2 mother trees of J29 and J 32. Also had the 4 trees of J 33.

Next I have reorganize myself mentally. Grafting is not rocket science and had been done more that 2,000 years ago. I'm sure that I can do it successfully. My definition of successful is that I can emulate successful grafting of at least 85%. I shall most probably set a next target of 30% first as I'm still new in grafting.

Grafting should be easy, fun, non laborious and stress free. There should be a feel good factor as we are helping certain species to expand and propagate. It's creating more.

Decided to move out the agarwood seedlings to make way to store the grafted Jackfruits. As I have the section of the nursery repaired with a 90% shade. Also the agarwood is growing well and by moving it to another section of 70% shade helps on the 'hardening'. With the sufficiently shaded storage, hopefully it shall improve my successful rate. 

As for the hardwood being difficult to shape, was thinking that the scion can be of smaller diameter, younger thus easier to shape. While doing this, since the scion is a small diameter, why not cut the cleft off center according to the smaller size of the scion? Being off center, it can accommodate the the smaller size scion, yet matching the cambium on both sides.

Starting to wonder on the latex. Does the latex aid the cambium taking or does it creates a barrier and prevent? Notice that some have the scion and the grafting part had rotted. Some of the wrapped part died. Some bark grew uneven, bulge after wrapping. Am I applying to much pressure? Too much pressure and restrict the flow of nutrient? The scion died and the wrapped part also die and rot. Guess I shall reduce the pressure while wrapping.

After finishing off all the redo, I counted 12 that 'took' and a couples of 'maybe'. It was not as bad as I initially though. Thank goodness I fare better then the previous grafting. Even though it was not as what I targeted, I am grateful to have 12 new planting material. Just have to nurse these till they are good for field planting.

Summarize of my improvements
Keep grafted plants in a well shaded area. Water them if no rain for 3 days.
Plastic cover to keep the humidity high to be tie down, preventing them from blowing off.
Using newly developed scion and abstain from harden scion.Cut shaping shall be more flat and fit better.
Use a magnifying glass to help see better, hence able to match the cambium better.
Reduce wrapping pressure.
Thank goodness that I had managed to identify some of my short comings.

While redoing (after about 10 plants), I was pondering if there is a better chances of 'take'. After much research on the internet, I shall try out side veneer grafting, hopefully it shall improve my 'take'. Stay tune.