Grafting Of Acacia koa Gray Onto Young Acacia Seedlings

Abstract

Scions of Acacia koa Gray (Fabaceae) were grafted onto rootstocks of A. koa, A. mangium Willd., and A. confusa Merr. using cleft or splice grafts applied to very young seedlings. This is the first report of grafting success between A. koa and any Acacia species. Acacia koa scion plants at the second true leaf stage of development were joined with the Acacia rootstocks of similar phenology just below the cotyledons. The initial grafting trials resulted in success rates from 20% to 70%. Graft unions were completely healed within 8 wk, and plants were ready for transplanting at about 3 mo. These methods allow for the production of grafted A. koa seedlings with potentially increased disease resistance, improved horticultural performance, and potentially wider adaptation to Hawaiian ecosystems and landscapes.