Technique of grafting with Wufanshu (Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb.) and the effects on blueberry plant growth and development, fruit yield and quality

•Grafting blueberry on Wufanshu with inlaid bud-grafting or one-bud cut-grafting were both suitable.•The growth vigor of grafted blueberry was markedly stronger than that of none-grafted blueberry.•The productivity and fruit quality of the grafted blueberry were also significantly improved.•Grafting is a practical and efficient technology innovation in blueberry production.

Propagation and cultivation results showed that grafting southern highbush blueberry cultivar ʽSharpblueʼ taking Wufanshu (Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb.) as rootstock has much high survival rate, and inlaid bud-grafting and one-bud cut-grafting were both suitable for application. The grafted blueberry saplings integrated the excellent biological traits of rootstock species and scion cultivar, growth vigor was markedly stronger than that of the same-aged none-grafted blueberry in field planting. Further more, early bearing and productivity and fruit quality of grafted blueberry were also significantly improved. Grafting is a practical and efficient technology innovation in blueberry production.