Anatomical compatibility of Jatropha curcas (L.) graft on Jatropha cinerea (Ortega) Muell.Arg rootstock

Abstract

Graft compatibility of Jatropha curcas on Jatropha cinerea was confirmed by obtaining a high survival (95%) of the total grafted plants. Their regeneration and development was accomplished by histological assays observing compatibility of the vessel tissues. At anatomical level, both species had the same cell types (parenchyma in the external cortex, specific cells forming phloem tissues, vascular and xylem cambium) completely differentiated at the moment of grafting. When comparing different tissues, the parenchyma cells of J. curcas had fewer amounts of starch grains than those of J. cinerea. Another anatomical difference was vascular cambium amplitude, which was greater in J. cinerea than in J. curcas. The results of the histological cuts in the grafted stems showed integration of J. curcas tissue with J. cinerea stock when they developed as one plant only.

Keywords

• Grafting
• Rootstocks
• Jatropha curcas
• Jatropha cinerea