Grafting, the jointing of parts of two plants to make a single plant, is used to:

• A. Graft onto rootstock for vigor
• B. Propagate by seeds
• C. Combine the best qualities of root stock and scion
• D. Produce new plant varieties by cross-pollination

Answer: (C)

Grafting aims to combine desirable traits from two different plant parts into one plant. The rootstock provides a strong, healthy root system and can contribute vigor, disease resistance, drought tolerance, or size control, while the scion supplies the above-ground portion with the preferred fruit, flowers, or growth habit. By joining them, you get a single plant that has the best traits of both, such as a sturdy root system and high-quality fruit or blooms. This approach also allows cloning of superior cultivars, since the scion’s characteristics are preserved in the new plant. For example, fruit trees are often grafted onto dwarfing rootstocks to stay compact and productive, and grapevines can be grafted onto rootstocks resistant to pests and certain soils. Note that grafting is a vegetative propagation method, not seed propagation or cross-pollination, which would create new genetic combinations rather than preserving a specific cultivar.