Unravelling rootstock×scion interactions to improve food security

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Biology
• Genetics

Background:

• Rootstocks have been used for centuries to improve woody perennial crops.
• Vegetable crop grafting has rapidly advanced in the last 50 years, primarily for vigor and disease resistance.
• Historically, grafting advancements relied on empirical knowledge with limited mechanistic understanding.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the physiological and molecular mechanisms of rootstock-scion interactions.
• To highlight the role of rootstocks in enhancing crop productivity and food security.
• To investigate how rootstock-scion-environment interactions influence phenotypic variability.

Main Methods:

• Review of historical and recent scientific literature on grafting and rootstock utilization.
• Analysis of physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying rootstock-scion interactions.
• Exploration of the impact of rootstocks on crop yield, resource use, and quality.

Main Results:

• Rootstocks contribute to food security by increasing yield potential and closing yield gaps.
• Grafting with rootstocks reduces reliance on chemical inputs and enhances natural resource use efficiency.
• Rootstocks can generate novel genotypic variability and improve crop quality.

Conclusions:

• Scientific understanding of rootstock-scion interactions has advanced significantly in the last two decades.
• Rootstocks offer a powerful tool for crop improvement, addressing challenges in yield, sustainability, and quality.
• Further research into rootstock-scion-environment interactions is crucial for optimizing rootstock development and ensuring food security.