I thought I would share a few sites with everyone. Some of you may already be aware of them. I was recently pointed to a new forum from the Philippine Ag dept. There are some interesting topics as well as some links to videos. There doesn't seem to be a lot of interaction on this forum, mainly just a post of a topic and then that's it. Sort of odd.
http://forum.agriculture.ph/viewforum.php?f=64&sid=4278deff6a07ed43f457398f12d6c973

This next site is a hoot. Bernie Dizon is obviously a fruit tree pioneer in the Philippines. He really pushes the multi-rootstock method for achieving fast growth and early fruiting. This has taken off in other Asian countries but sadly seems to have been largely ignored over here...at least with the more rare fruit varieties. This website is just stuffed with information. Every article and photo drills down into another link so the info just keeps coming and coming. You can spend a LOT of time on this website. I am still discovering new links. I am in the process of doing my own experimenting with multi-rootstock grafting on three different varieties of plants. I did my first one this past Sunday.
http://dizon-exoticfruittrees.com/

Most Florida folks are probably aware of this site. If you hit on all the links, you will find a few different spots that have links to videos.
http://www.tropicalfruitgrowers.com/index.htm

Well...don't just sit there! Go soak in some knowledge people!

I knew that site and I personally know the site owner.

Bernie Dizon is cool. He has received many achievement awards in the field of tropical fruit trees. He promotes multiple rootstock. I have also suggested to Bernie Dizon to use rootstocks that are non-siblings. Apparently, they have used any compatible rootstock they can get hold of and do multiple of them.

I mentioned my theory of how using non-sibling rootstocks can enhance survival and vigor based on scientific research published for the sibling and non-sibling plants grown in containers. We have this proof to that theory and another one that came well before that, which is the Parent Washington Navel tree which is composed of three kinds of non-sibling rootstocks.

If you ever go to the Philippines, you have to visit Bernie Dizon. His nursery is located next to my high school alma mater, Philippine Science High School in Diliman, Quezon City.

Bernie Dizon, Verman Reyes and other Philippine Rare Fruit Growers are actively using the yahoo group forum. Kind of not-user friendly unlike the forum we have here, but it is great for disconnected users who seldom have direct or troublesome internet connections. so the email type forum works in such country where the web based type of forum is unreliable. So you know why the site has not been as active. Not a lot of users can get connected online for long periods of time.

Joe,
That is so cool that you've not only been there but met the man himself. Bern Reyes has been helping me out with the multiple rootstock process. He sent me a video on the procedure and some other detailed support.

I figured if anyone over here was doing anything like this, it would be you! Ever since I found Dizon's website, I've developed a keen interest in trying this. So this summer/fall, I started gathering up the plants I wanted to make the attempt with.

I already had a Mayong Chid maprang and recently received two maprang seedlings from Bryan. They are now planted together in one container but I haven't started the grafting yet. I also received a grafted Longkong from Bryan and two nice seedling langsats from Sadhu. These have not been planted together yet.

I also have a small grafted mangosteen and two nice sized seedlings. They have been planted together for a month or so now. Sunday I attempted my first graft of one of the seedlings to the grafted plant. The first pic shows the plants prior to the deed.


You can easily see the graft union on the middle plant. Not only is it down low, there is a branch about an inch above the graft as well. The plant also had a nasty curve to the trunk. The angles I had to work with were killers. I gathered from watching Bern's video that having lots of trunk room for this is definitely in your favor...and I just didn't have it. I didn't think, at the time, that grafting above that first branch was a good choice. My thinking was that the rootstocks needed to be below any active growth in order to do the tree any good. So unfortunately my only location left was right on top of the old graft union. I believe there is a good bit of cambium's lining up. I'm sure it's not perfect but hopefully there will be enough to cause a good union.


Here's the result. Best case scenario would have been to have enough trunk to offset the placement of the two grafts and do them both. No way I was able to do both and placing them on opposite sides. It was difficult enough for me to just get the one completed! All thumbs it seemed like. You can also see that I am left little room to work with even if I can theoretically place the next graft above that first branch. Good idea or no? It will be very tough as you can see. I may have to wait a few months to see how the first one turns out before attempting the next one. Given the angles of the remaining plant to the main plant, going up higher would definitely be the sweeter thing for me! Your thoughts as always are welcomed and appreciated.

Wow, mangosteen is one of my favorite fruits. I can't grow them here in Davis! I envy you man! I have exchanged seeds with Berns. He sent me mangosteen but those died out on me. Davis water is toxic to tropical plants!

When you attempt multiple rootstocks, always make sure to have non-sibling rootstocks. Non-sibling means they don't have any common parent, such as those seeds coming from the same tree.

I am planning to convert most of my established trees into multiple rootstocks using various types to insure that they are not siblings. I am germinating Sudachi, Yuzu, and Trifoliate seeds right now. I will plant these near the trunk of my 61-n-1 citrus tree and later bridge graft them. This is to increase chances of survival of my favorite tree. I don't know if it will become 61-n-4 single tree after the multiple rootstocks have taken.

I have discussed multiple rootstock in this thread:
link

Interesting conclusions with the sibling/donor. Who the heck would ever even think of looking for a difference?!! There is a very remote possibility that the two seedling plants are siblings of the grafted plant.

So what's your initial thoughts here?
1. Did I screw up by placing the new graft over the original graft?
2. Would you place the second graft above the branch or wait until the other heals and then place opposite that site?

I'm a fanatic when it comes to mangosteen and having a grafted specimen to begin with is obviously something to cherish and lavish with affection. I need some comforting words here hopefully telling me I didn't screw up!! Got any for me??

I have much more trunk space to work with on the other plants. Thanks Joe. J

For sure, the double rootstocks should result in vigorous scionwood growth, now that you have two nutrient suppliers, even if they are siblings. The one scionwood has to balance with the added root system, and so would grow more or balance.

The use of non-siblings would just be better if you can get them. Most likely, you need to get seeds from two sources that don't have the same seed supplier. Then when you do multiple rootstock, combine the various sources into one tree.

In what you did is never a screw up, it would help your tree, as already proven by Bernie Dizon in some of his trials, and they were not aware of the sibling status of rootstocks. Now that we have proof about more stability and vigor of non-sibling rootstocks, I would prefer that approach.

And it is never too late to add more rootstocks later on, so if you can source some seeds that you know are from a different geographic region, you can use those to add rootstocks later on.

Cool. So so far so good...as long as I didn't screw up the graft. I have several very very small seedling plants as well that are also quite unlikely to be siblings. I can mess with them later on.

So you don't think grafting over the original graft a big deal? I was unsure of your response so please excuse if I misunderstood. Graft above the branch or wait and do opposite. Thanks for the encouragement. J

Ohiojay, I would "bark graft" the end of the rootstock unto the scionwood trunk. This is done by making an inverted T incision, then prepare the other end of the rootstock like an inverted bark graft and insert into the T-incision.

Will try to make a pictorial demo of it next year when the barks are slipping.

This was just posted out on the Philippine ag site. Thought it may be of some interest.


I've been doing some research for the last 3 years on this Multiple Rootstock Technology which was popularized by Mr. Bernie Dizon. Here some facts regarding this practice and you'll will be surprised this practice is not new and was just re-branded to make it like a new practice or technology or lets just say it is a new propagation variation which is great propagation technique or style.

First of all the other terms used by other fruit growers on multiple rootstock:

1. Tripod Method
2. Double Rootstock
3. Triple Rootstock and so on like Quadruple Rootstock so forth
4. Octopus Method
5. Prolific Method

Scientific terms related to Multiple Rootstock:

1. Inarching
2. Bridge Grafting
3. Nurse Grafting
4. Repair Grafting
5. Interstock Grafting

History:

Well, Multiple Rootstock if you're going to search it in the agricultural books or in the internet, you'll have limited topics on it except ofcourse from the website of Mr. Bernie Dizon which popularized it in the Philippines.

The reason for this limited search is because the term is not accepted by the scientific world. Its is a new brand of a hybrid propagation technique.

So, why is this a hybrid technique? Because it is a propagation technique which entails combination of propagation techniques for fruit trees. To be able to make a multiple rootstock fruit tree; first, you will be needing a single graft fruit tree then a rootstock or seedling of a same species then inarch it with the grafted fruit tree. You can also make a faster double rootstock tree by cleft grafting a large scion unto 2 rootstock that is equal to the large scion.

Does international countries use multiple rootstock:

Answer is yes, they do but not as termed multiple rootstock. Some of the terms they use with relation of multiple rootstock are interstock grafting, repair grafting, nursre grafting etc...

In the USA, repair grafting is used when a fruit tree like an apple or citrus is already hit by a disease in the roots and is given another rootstock to aid the main branch. This is in connection with Mr. Bernie Dizon's book that was saying an american has used the multiple rootstock technique in his apple trees.

Nurse grafting is mostly used for marcotted fruit trees like Lychee, Longan etc... to also aid on the sturdiness of the fruit trees root system. As we all know, marcotted fruit trees have a weak root system because it was air-layered, a form propagation technique. By adding another rootstock with a marcotted fruit tree, you are making the tree sturdy from the soil and making it more productive.

But to sum it all up, Multiple rootstock is an old age technique practiced by nature itself from the survival instinct of trees. Trees tend to have a natural instinct on bridge grafting another root unto the branch when the tree is damaged.

I do consider that multiple rootstock is a hybrid propagation technique because it is a combination of 2 or more propagation technique.

Thailand has used multiple rootstock on there Durian trees because of Phytoptora disease. Multiple rootstock is mostly used if you're going to notice it is from root problems of fruit trees. Another use of multiple rootstock is for propagation purposes, because of flushing of multiple rootstock, propagators tend to have more scions for grafting.