Abstract

SORY TOURE, A. et al. Variation in stem xylem anatomy of tomato cultivars grafted onto a local race. Rev. Chapingo Ser.Hortic [online]. 2010, vol.16, n.1, pp.67-76. ISSN 2007-4034.

The tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most widely consumed vegetables. However, phytopathogical problems have underlined the need to look for alternatives for its cultivation, such as grafting, using rootstock resistant to environmental factors and diseases. For this technique, compatibility between the graft and the rootstock must be taken into account, especially of the water conduction system. The variability in xylem and water conduction indexes in local race rootstock onto which three different commercial cultivars were grafted was studied and compared with non-grafted plants. The anatomy of the xylem of the grafted cultivars and the local race rootstocks exhibited differences with respect to the non-grafted plants. Area, perimeter, and axis length of the largest and smallest axes of stem xylem vessels were statistically superior in grafted plants, but not for 'Charleston'/'Criollo de Honduras', 'Sun 7705'/'Criollo de Honduras', and vice versa, with respect to 'Charleston' and 'Sun 7705' without grafts. 'Reserva F1', in both combinations ('Reserva F1'/Criollo de Honduras'; 'Criollo de Honduras'/'Reserva F1') and without grafts, showed no changes in anatomy. The same characteristics in 'Charleston' had the maximum values with respect to the other cultivars. In general, the values of the xylem vessel anatomy characteristics were increased, of both the cultivars and rootstocks in the scion/rootstock relationship.

Keywords : Solanum lycopersicum L.; xylem vessels; graft compatibility.