Schools
Oklahoma State University: Series Of Grafted Vegetable Workshops To Begin In April
The Oklahoma State University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture will be hosting a series of hands-on grafted vegetab ...
2022-02-15
The Oklahoma State University Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture will be hosting a series of hands-on grafted vegetable events throughout the spring
and summer.
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“The goal is to introduce the concept of vegetable grafting and demonstrate the techniques
of making grafted vegetable transplants and growing them for production,” said Bizhen Hu, assistant professor of horticulture. “Vegetable producers, professionals, gardeners
and all others are welcome.”
Grafting is regarded as an emerging and must-test technology for the U.S. vegetable
industry. The use of grafted vegetables in Oklahoma is at its earliest stages. Due
to vegetable grafting being a new application in production, research, Extension and teaching, programs on the subject are needed. Grafting has the potential to
benefit Oklahoma vegetable growers through better biotic and abiotic management, enhancing
crop vigor, lengthening harvest window, increasing total seasonal yield, improving
heirloom variety performance and creating a potential source of income by preparing
and supplying grafted plants.
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“Vegetable grafting combines the shoot from a fruiting variety (called a scion) to
the roots of a rootstock variety,” Hu said. “The rootstock varieties are bred to have
better disease resistance and/or higher vigor. Therefore, by changing the roots of
the scion, growers can improve the performance of the fruiting variety they want to
grow.”
The following is the schedule of events for the series:
Register by March 1. This hands-on workshop will introduce the concept of vegetable
grafting and demonstrate how to make grafted tomato, pepper and watermelon plants.
This event is co-sponsored by Murray State College.
Register by March 1. This workshop will demonstrate how to make grafted tomato, pepper
and watermelon plants. After the grafted vegetable propagation section, participants
will tour the grafted vegetable production in hydroponics and aquaponics at the research
greenhouse.
in Piedmont, Oklahoma. This field tour will demonstrate grafted watermelon and grafted
tomato production in the open field. This event is co-sponsored by Langston University.
This field tour will demonstrate grafted tomato and watermelon production in the hoop
house and open field.
All events are free to the public and require online registration. Check out other July and September grafted vegetable events online at the OSU Extension calendar. Check out Oklahoma Gardening’s segment on this series airing on March 19 as well as segments on grafted pecans.
This press release was produced by Oklahoma State University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.