CLONAL PROPAGATION OF LEUCAENA BY SINGLE BUD SPLICE GRAFTING WITH A NEW GRAFTING TOOL, AND BY MODIFIED VENEER CROWN GRAFTING

A simple tool called the graft guide, and its use with a new grafting technique called the single-bud splice (SBS) graft is described. The g raft guide assures precise complementary rootstock and scion cuts, and thus ensures good cambial contact necessary for graft union formation . The use of this tool to graft small (3-15 mm) vegetative shoots of L eucaena species and hybrids is illustrated. An overall grafting succes s rate of 72% was achieved using this technique for several leucaenas. An additional modified veneer grafting technique for use when rootsto ck is larger in diameter than the scion, achieved 73% success. Graft c ompatibility results from 961 grafts between scions of 15 Leucaena spe cies and three interspecific hybrids, and rootstocks of two species ar e presented. Of the 48 scion/rootstock combinations attempted, 43 (90% ) were successful.