STENTING OF ROSES, STARCH DEPLETION AND ACCUMULATION DURING THE EARLY DEVELOPMENT

Stenting of roses is a propagation technique, based on simultaneously cutting and grafting (Van de Pol et al., 1982). In the present study whip grafting was introduced with stock and scion held together with a clothes-peg.
Microscopical investigation of the stem above and below the graft union showed a marked increase of the starch content of the scion, particularly during the first week after grafting.
Starch in the rootstock shows a sharp decrease, directly after grafting, reaches level 0 on day 3 and subsequently increases until after 12–15 days it approaches the level of the scion.
At day 12 from grafting 100% of the plants had formed a xylem vessel connection as shown by colouring with acid fuchsine, and 15 days from grafting 75% were rooted.
The increase of percentages of rootstocks with starch from day 3 onwards preceeds the increase of percentages of stentlings with xylem vessel connection by about 2 days.
The CO₂ concentration in the propagation bench decreased from more than 1500 ppm during the night to less than 100 ppm during the day.
This change in CO₂ concentration and the pattern of the starch accumulation in the stem prove the activity of the scion leaf.
This is a necessity for the development of roots and shoots on the young stentling.

I International Symposium of the Research and Cultivation of Roses

P.A. van de Pol, M.H.A.J. Joosten, H. Keizer

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1986.189.6