Study on the graft compatibility between ‘Jingganghongnuo’ and other litchi cultivars

•There was significant difference in graft compatibility using ‘Jingganghongnuo’ as scion among 13 litchi cultivars used as rootstocks.•The compatibility or incompatibility in litchi could be judged by grafts survival rate, graft union shape and the color of scion leaves.•In litchi, the compatible combinations had higher SOD, POD and PPO activities than that in incompatible ones.

Litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.), is one of the most important tropical and subtropical fruit crop in the Sapindaceae family. Grafting is widely used for litchi propagation, but not all cultivars are compatible. In this study, ‘Jingganghongnuo’, a new litchi cultivar, was grafted on the rootstock of cultivar ‘Jingfeng’, ‘Heiye’, ‘Huaizhi’, ‘Songjiaxiang’, ‘Guilin’, ‘Xuehuaizi’, ‘Zhuangyuanhong’, ‘Liuyuexue’, ‘Baitangying’, ‘Wuye’, ‘Shuangjianyuhebao’, ‘Wanpu’, ‘Zaopu’ to determine their compatibility. The survival rate was determined 6 months after grafting. Significant difference in chlorophyll contents was detected between compatible combinations and incompatible combinations 6 months after grafting. Compatible combinations showed dark green leaf and smooth graft joint, while, the incompatible ones had yellow leaf. Histological assay indicated that the compatible combinations developed vascular bundle bridge from the wound tissues, while, there was few vascular bundle bridge connected in incompatible combinations. In addition, the compatible combinations had higher SOD, POD and PPO activities than that in the incompatible ones.