Effects of Flooding Stress on Growth and Root Physiology and Biochemistry of Grafted Red-seed Watermelon Seedlings

[Objectives]This study was conducted to explore how to improve the waterlogging tolerance of red-seed watermelon through grafting,to provide a theoretical basis for its cultivation in rainy season.[Methods]The effects of flooding stress on the growth and root physiological and biochemical characteristics of grafted and own-rooted red-seed watermelon seedlings were studied using Luffa as rootstocks and"Zhongxin 1"red-seed watermelon as scions.[Results]After flooding stress,the biomass and root activity of grafted seedlings of red-seed watermelon were significantly higher than those of own-rooted seedlings.With the prolongation of flooding stress time,the soluble sugar and proline content showed a trend of first increasing and then decreasing,and the grafted seedlings had a larger increase and a smaller decrease,and were always significantly higher than own-rooted seedlings in the same period.The content of malondialdehyde in the root system of grafted seedlings increased first and then decreased,while it continued to increase in own-rooted seedlings,and the increase in own-rooted seedlings was significantly greater than that in grafted seedlings during the same period.[Conclusions]Grafting on Luffa rootstocks could improve waterlogging tolerance of red-seed watermelon.

Grafting Increases the Copper Tolerance of Cucumber Seedlings by Improvement of Polyamine Contents and Enhancement of Antioxidant Enzymes Activity

The aim of the study is to determine whether grafting could improve antioxidant enzyme activities and polyamine contents in leaves of cucumber plants（Cucumis sativus L.cv.Xintaimici） under copper stress.Grafted（using Cucurbita ficifolia as rootstock） and ungrafted cucumber seedlings were cultured in deep flow technique（DFT） with the Cu2＋ concentration of 40 μmol L-1.The results showed that on the 9th day of copper stress treatment,the contents of malondialdehyde（MDA） and hydrogen peroxide（H2O2）,superoxide radical（） producing rate,and electrolyte leakage percentage were significantly lower in grafted seedlings in comparison to those of the ungrafted seedlings,whereas the activities of antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase（SOD,EC 1.15.1.1）,peroxidase（POD,EC 1.11.1.7）,ascorbate peroxidase（APX,EC 1.11.1.11）,catalase（CAT,EC 1.11.1.6）,glutathione reductase（GR,EC 1.6.4.2）,and monodehydroascorbate reductase（MDHAR,EC 1.6.5.4） of grafted seedlings were also significantly higher than that of ungrafted seedlings,and the contents of free proline and soluble protein of grafted seedlings were significantly higher than that of ungrafted seedlings.Cu2＋ treatment increased the putrescine（Put） level and lowered the spermidine（Spd） and spermine（Spm） levels,thereby reducing the Put/（Spd ＋ Spm） ratio in leaves of grafted and ungrafted seedlings.Grafting markedly reversed these Cu-induced effects for all three PAs and partially restored the Put/（Spd ＋ Spm） ratio in leaves.These results suggest that grafting can enhance the tolerance of cucumber seedlings to Cu2＋ stress by increasing the activities of antioxidants and the levels of endogenous Spd and Spm,decreasing the Put/（Spd ＋ Spm） ratio and the levels of ROS,promoting free proline and soluble protein synthesis in cucumber seedling leaves.

Chilling Tolerance and Physiological Parameters as Influenced by Grafting in Watermelon Seedlings

The influences of different rootstocks on chilling tolerance and physiological parameters in watermelon seedlings have been studied. The results showed that grafting improved the chilling tolerance. Compared with own-rooted watermelon seedlings, the grafted watermelon seedlings had lower chilling injury index, lower electrolytic leakage (%), lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content, higher chlorophyll and proline content, and higher activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (AsA-POD) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DR) in the leaves under low temperature stress. There was a considerable difference of chilling tolerance among different grafted watermelon seedlings due to the difference of rootstock chilling tolerance. After low temperature treatment, the grafted seedling with higher chilling tolerance had lower electrolytic leakage (%),lower MDA content, higher proline content and higher activities of SOD, AsA-POD and DR in the leaves compared with the grafted seedling with weaker chilling tolerance. From these, we could conclude that chilling tolerance of watermelon seedlings may be related to higher antioxidative ability and membrane stability in the plants. The chilling tolerance of grafted seedling could be properly evaluated by comprehensive physiological indexes but not a single physiological index.

Grafting Enhances Copper Tolerance of Cucumber Through Regulating Nutrient Uptake and Antioxidative System

An experiment was carried out to determine plant growth, mineral uptake, lipid peroxidation, antioxidative enzymes, and antioxidant of cucumber plants （Cucumis sativus L. cv. Xintaimici） under copper stress, either ungrafted or grafted onto the rootstock （Cucurbitaficifolia）. Excess Cu inhibited growth, photosynthesis, and pigment synthesis of grafted and ungrafted cucumber seedlings and significantly increased accumulation of Cu in roots besides reducing mineral uptake. Cu concentration in roots of grafted cucumber plants was significantly higher than that of ungrafted plants and obviously lower in leaves. The accumulation of reactive oxygen species （ROS） significantly increased in cucumber leaves under Cu stress and resulted in lipid peroxidation, and the levels of ROS and lipid peroxidation were greatly decreased by grafting. Activities of protective enzymes （superoxide dismutase, SOD; peroxidase, POD; catalase, CAT; ascorbate peroxidase, APX; dehydroascorbate reductase, DHAR; glutathione reductase, GR） and the contents of ascorbate and glutathione in leaves of grafted plants were significantly higher than those of ungrafted plants under Cu stress. Better performance of grafted cucumber plants were attributed to the higher ability of Cu accumulation in their roots, better nutrient status, and the effective scavenging system of ROS.

Grafting Raises the Cu Tolerance of Cucumber Through Protecting Roots Against Oxidative Stress Induced by Cu Stress

A greenhouse experiment was carried out to determine plant growth, reactive oxygen species （ROS） metabolism in roots and functions of plasma membrane （PM） and tonoplast in cucumber seedlings （Cucumis sativus L. ev. Xintaimici） treated with 40 μmol L^-1 CuSO4·5H2O, which were either ungrafted or grafted onto the rootstock （Cucurbitaficifolia）. Cu treatment inhibited growth, induced significant accumulation of H2O2 and led to serious lipid peroxidation in cucumber roots, and the ROS-scavenging enzymes activities in grafted seedlings roots were significantly higher than that of ungrafted plants, thus less accumulation in grafted cucumber roots induced by Cu. As a result, lipid peroxidation in roots decreased. Furthermore, the activities of H^-ATPase, H＋-PPase and Ca^2＋-ATPase in PM and/or tonoplast in grafted cucumber seedlings under Cu stress were obviously higher than that in ungrafted plants, resulting into higher ability in grafted plants to expulse the excess H＋, promote the cytoplasm alkalinization, regulate the intracellular Ca^2＋ concentration and brought the cytoplasma concentration of free Ca2＋ to extremely low level under Cu stress.

Grafting and Seedling Cultivation Technology of Cherry Tomato for Disease Prevention in Hainan

In order to reduce the occurrence of soil-borne diseases,such as tomato bacterial wilt and Fusarium wilt,and to improve the yield of cherry tomato in Hainan,the paper had summarized grafting and seedling technology of cherry tomato from the aspects of rootstock selection,rootstock seedling cultivation,scion seedling cultivation,preparation before grafting,grafting method and seedling management after grafting.It was found that the technique could significantly improve the yield and disease resistance of cherry tomato.

Grafting Watermelon Seedling Production Management System Based on Process Control Strategy

Greenhouse environmental management,seedling bed scheduling,and fertilizer and water management are the core technologies of seedling nursery.Precision management and control of the whole production process guarantees high grated seedling quality.In order to improve management efficiency of grafted watermelon seedling production and seedling quality,this paper designs and develops a grafted watermelon seedling production management system based on process control methods by process control strategy,seedling bed planning design,and handheld device technology.