Grafting Arabidopsis

Abstract

In Arabidopsis thaliana, hypocotyl micrografting has been used to investigate transport of flowering signals, mobile silencing signals and other peptides, proteins and secondary compounds. The effects of transported signals on target tissues require that a good vascular connection is re-established across the graft junction between the cut hypocotyls (stumps) of the root (rootstock) and shoot (scion) tissues. We outline here a method that requires only that the cut stumps be placed in close proximity, so that they touch, followed by 3-5 days of undisturbed recovery time during which the grafts are allowed to dry out somewhat. This method is quick, easy to monitor and has up to 90% success rate.