Grafting is the technique of joining the shoot of one plant with the root of another, so they continue to grow together as one. Until now it was thought
Summary
- Grafting is the technique of joining the shoot of one plant with the root of another, so they continue to grow together as one.
- Grafting genetically different root and shoot tissues can result in a plant with new traits – ranging from dwarf shoots, to pest and disease resistance.
- The scientists found that the technique was effective in a range of monocotyledonous crop plants including pineapple, banana, onion, tequila agave and date palm.
- And Cavendish bananas are sterile, so disease resistance can’t be bred into future generations of the plant.
- The researchers have filed a patent for their grafting technique through Cambridge Enterprise.