Early detection of graft compatibility in Apricot/Prunus combinations

Graft incompatibility in many apricot combinations grafted on Prunus rootstocks is manifested by the breakdown of the trees at the union area that can occur some years after grafting. The objective of this work was to find any differences between compatible and incompatible grafts at an early stage of development. To this end, the formation of the graft union in the first month following grafting was studied in the cultivar 'Moniqui' grafted on various Prunus rootstocks through an histological analysis of the callus cells and the establishment of vascular connections. The possibility to apply an early selection method could predict the future of a determinate combination long before the external symptoms can be observed.