Grafting - Anita

• Grafting is an advanced technique that botanists, farmers, and gardeners use to add living tissue from one plant or tree to another. Grafting is similar to organ donation, because different parts of a plant are changed, just like the organs of a human body. New blood cells begin to develop, and the organ learns how to work with the rest of the body. 
• Plants have the ability to rebuild their vascular tissue, which is what makes grafting even possible. Vascular tissue are the tubes which transport food and water throughout a plant's body. When two plant branches are joined in the process of grafting, their vascular tissues join, and create a new tissue, which is now alive and growing. Now the newly attached plant will grow as part of the original plant. This is also an alternative to help plants reproduce. The process of joining two vascular tissues is called Inosculation. Inosculation is possible because of the following simple plant biology. 
• Found just beneath the outer layer of a plant's stem is a layer of tissue called the Cambium. This layer is undifferentiated, which means it does not have a specific job until it is relied upon by the plant for a new vascular tissue, new roots, or new branches. Grafting takes advantage of the Cambium by directing it, or telling it what to do. 
• Why is grafting so popular? Well, this technique has numerous benefits. A grower can choose any number of plants whose attributes he desires the most. Another type of grafting is rootstock and scion selection. If a grower desires a plant whose roots are strong but fruit aren't delicious or popular, he may use this plant a rootstock, or a plant selected for its roots. This plant can be combined with another plant, whose roots aren't strong, but fruit are desirable. This type of plant may be called the scion, or a plant chosen because of its stem, flowers, or fruit. An amazing scion can be grafted onto a strong rootstock to produce a truly wonderful tree. This is a common practice because it allows for plants to grow in many different areas, and gives us access to more products. 
• Link: How do you graft plants? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1MRBLn4TgQ