Potato grafting
 

I grow potatoes each year but every time the poato beetles destroy most of them,and they are difficult to control.Last year I saw on the internet a so-called "pomato" -a tomato grafted onto potato rootstock,which got me intrigued.Since potato beetles don't really prefer tomato plants I thought this might be a solution.I grafted a dwarf tomato on potato last winter just to make sure it's even possible,because I don't always trust online information,and when I can test a claim easily,I always do it.This is the plant,and the very first graft I made:

[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/U7qYHnl.jpg[/IMG]
The plant grew incredibly fast because it was grafted on a very large potato,and was leeching carbohydrates from it.Within a couple of months,the plant eventually died and a small,new tuber was developed.This confirmed to me that it's possible.
Next,I grafted another tomato scion,this time an indeterminate F1 I crossed myself.I let the 2 main stems grow.It was planted in february,and dug out in may.
The entire plant:
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/TbB1FLS.jpg[/IMG]
The place of graft thickened and hardened,looking like a base of a small tree:
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/MCArJBB.jpg[/IMG]
The plant developed 3 tubers,one very large and 2 small ones:
[IMG]http://i.imgur.com/8toJqVW.jpg[/IMG]

The tomato scion was prunned of all flower buds as soon as they emerged,to focus all the energy to tubers.The experiment was a success,however the grafted plants can not outperform non-grafted potatoes.The goal here is to a) Improve potato resistance to pests/diseases and b) to improve yields
Another scion was used instead tomato,Solanum nigrum,but even though the graft fused and plant grew,it was way more susceptible to disease and aphids for unkown reason,and showed poor tuber formation.I'm planning to try various other scions next season,but this time focus on the ones that already do store energy in their roots,just like potato,since they are more likely to perform better.
I already got Solanum dulcamara,and am looking at other possible Solanum species to use as scions.

If anyone is interested you can join me in this ongoing experiment,try different scions and report on your success/fail,maybe together we will revolutionize the way potatoes are grown.

Wow. How was the potato taste? did you try them?

[QUOTE=NarnianGarden;581997]Wow. How was the potato taste? did you try them?[/QUOTE]

Exactly like a potato :D I don't think the scion can influence taste of the tubers,at least not too much.But I am cautios because I think it's not impossible,what I'm afraid most is tubers acumulating dangerous toxins like solanine in their roots due to influence of the scion.Perhaps someone that knows a bit more about plant physiology and grafting will give more insight on this.

Theoretically, according to the previous generation of science, there would be absolutely no genetic changes. Now, some are not so sure. The field of epigenetics is becoming murky, with some science showing there is gene transfer in situations like this. No idea about which genes, but it likely would be nothing dangerous.

Regarding the solanine question, potato tubers normally grow attached to plants with quite a bit of solanine, so grafting to a tomato likely is not much different. The main impact would probably be in yield of tomatoes or potatoes. Grafting like this likely reduces the potential harvest of both, since it divides the plant's energy into two areas, though even that is possibly not true.

[QUOTE=NathanP;582519]The main impact would probably be in yield of tomatoes or potatoes. Grafting like this likely reduces the potential harvest of both, since it divides the plant's energy into two areas, though even that is possibly not true.[/QUOTE]

Yes,that's why I'm looking for alternative scions,and this is only a guess,but I think herbacious perennial solanum species are the best candidates because they already store energy in their roots just like potato,so for them it would't be a problem to split energy for both tubers and their fruit(which is also kinda required,because you'd need the seeds of the scion for next year's grafts).
As for tomatoes,they aren't bad "tuber pumpers" but only when not allowed to spend energy on flowers and fruit.I'm also considering other more distantly related plants within solanaceae,it might be possible.

I'll just mention this, regarding the question of fruit production impacting tuber yield, and this is not grafting related ... there was a study done at Colorado State University done one year with a potato variety. (I can't recall, but it was a Russet.) They did yield evaluation of two groups of the same variety, and measured yield from one set that they let flower and produce fruit (seed berries), and the other set they removed all the berries. This was done to see if berry production adversely affected tuber yield. There was no difference.

[QUOTE=NathanP;582771]I'll just mention this, regarding the question of fruit production impacting tuber yield, and this is not grafting related ... there was a study done at Colorado State University done one year with a potato variety. (I can't recall, but it was a Russet.) They did yield evaluation of two groups of the same variety, and measured yield from one set that they let flower and produce fruit (seed berries), and the other set they removed all the berries. This was done to see if berry production adversely affected tuber yield. There was no difference.[/QUOTE]

Tomatoes spend way more energy on fruit than potatoes,so there's definitely going to be a decrease in tuber yield on a "pomato" plant if you'd let both tomatoes and tubers develop.

I would plant it deep so you get roots from both plants.
I am going to try it with a blue potato and indigo rose tomato.
I am waiting for the potato to get some shoots on it,just bought it today.

Have you tried companion planting your potatoes with beans? Colorado potato beetles hate beans and bean beetles hate potatoes. Growing them together thwarts both pests. I have tried both interplanting both in the same row and alternating rows. Both ways work. I have been planting beans with my potatoes like this when I have planted potatoes (I don't plant them every year) since 1976. I haven't had potato bugs since then.
In books on companion planting they recommend alternating rows of bush beans and potatoes. Interplanting can be a little hard on your bean production, but it does also work.
Susan

[QUOTE=Susan66;586261]Have you tried companion planting your potatoes with beans? Colorado potato beetles hate beans and bean beetles hate potatoes. Growing them together thwarts both pests. I have tried both interplanting both in the same row and alternating rows. Both ways work. I have been planting beans with my potatoes like this when I have planted potatoes (I don't plant them every year) since 1976. I haven't had potato bugs since then.
In books on companion planting they recommend alternating rows of bush beans and potatoes. Interplanting can be a little hard on your bean production, but it does also work.
Susan[/QUOTE]

Sounds interesting,I haven't tried any companion planting,but if you say it worked for you it costs me nothing to try.I didn't try it because I don't see how it would work,I always thought in such plantings,the only benefit is that it's harder for the pest to locate the crop,but as soon as it finds it,it will just eat it.

More like the potato beetles hate the smell or taste of the beans so much that they avoid the whole area. I first tried this in Missouri - my second year in the Ozarks. My neighbor across the street had a whole garden of potatoes which were loaded with potato bugs. I read about the beans with potatoes thing in Organic Gardening Magazine and thought I'd try it. I only had a couple rows of potatoes, but I planted rows of bush beans between and outside the rows of potatoes, and had no Colorado Potato Beetles in sight. Meanwhile my neighbor was spraying with Sevin at least every week.
Susan

I tried the same thing this year planting eggplants in a circle around my two new catnip plants to ward off flea beetles. Got a few holes in the leaves when the plants were small, but a little later on my eggplants look great. Of course it's a little strange to have my eggplants in the flower/herb garden instead of the vegetable garden, but that's a mere quibble!

[QUOTE=Susan66;586486]I tried the same thing this year planting eggplants in a circle around my two new catnip plants to ward off flea beetles. Got a few holes in the leaves when the plants were small, but a little later on my eggplants look great. Of course it's a little strange to have my eggplants in the flower/herb garden instead of the vegetable garden, but that's a mere quibble![/QUOTE]

That's interesting,almost sounds like beans have some volatile compounds that are really toxic to beetles.Definitely trying this next season.This season I actually unintentionally planted beans right next to tomatoes,but slugs ate every single one of them as soon as they sprouted above the ground.Too bad beans don't deter slugs as well...

I have interplanted beans with my potato plants and in my experience, it doesn't make much of a difference. I suspect if you only have a few potato plants, and interplant with beans, the potatoes are difficult for the CPB to find. Interplanting with other crops would likely work just as well. I have interplanted with rows of brassicas, beans, corn, sunflowers, squashes, etc. I have tried islands of each as well as rows. ... results don't seem to vary much. The CPB and others find the potatoes, and the mexican bean beetles find the beans and squashes.

I suspect that the trick is to make them difficult to find.

Getting back to the original post;I am going to make the attempt next week.
I have lots of seed potatoes and tomato seedlings to play with.
I never had luck grafting tomatoes,so it should be interesting.

[QUOTE=slugworth;634490]Getting back to the original post;I am going to make the attempt next week.
I have lots of seed potatoes and tomato seedlings to play with.
I never had luck grafting tomatoes,so it should be interesting.[/QUOTE]


If you can,you should try out different solanum species as well.For example last year along with tomatoes I also grafted [I]solanum nigrum [/I]on a few potatoes[I],[/I]and although the plants fused and the scieon grew quite a lot,it was very suspicable to insects and disease,presumably due to rootstock being an extra sugar sink,which the plant could not handle.Therefore I advise on using solanum species that are naturally herbacious perennials,that is,their roots are significant sugar sinks.This year I might try [I]solanum dulcamara [/I]as scion and I'll report the results here.Sorry for a late reply,I am just getting activated on this forum again since it's spring in my area and tomatoes are being grown now.

I wonder if there is a time element involved?All the grafts I see on the net are cherry tomatoes,maybe the roots don't stay alive long enough for bigger tomatoes?

[QUOTE=slugworth;636863]I wonder if there is a time element involved?All the grafts I see on the net are cherry tomatoes,maybe the roots don't stay alive long enough for bigger tomatoes?[/QUOTE]

Cherry types typically have lower total yields which means they expend less resources on fruit,leaving more energy to go elsewhere-such as roots,in this case potato tubers.I'm guessing this is why they graft cherry tomatoes on them,what you see are not big tomatoes that stayed small because they were grafted.

Last year we had a drought,I wonder how the grafts will do in a drought year.
The potato shoots are fat,I will have to graft smaller tomato onto that or wait until my tomato stems are fat enough.I never had luck with any grafting so I don't get my hopes up too high.

I went bold for the 1st attempt and used heat shrink tubing that fit snug on the tomato cutting then found a potato stem that also fit snug.No heat applied,just a snug room temp fit.
The tubing should lock in freshness and avoid droop.Extra bold is the tomato choice of omar's lebanese.
IF it stays alive long enough I can cut the tubing off with a razor to allow for growth.
Blue potato so it should be real interesting if the tomato is normal or not.
If it works I may try the tubing on tomato/tomato grafts.

[QUOTE=slugworth;637620]I went bold for the 1st attempt and used heat shrink tubing that fit snug on the tomato cutting then found a potato stem that also fit snug.No heat applied,just a snug room temp fit.
The tubing should lock in freshness and avoid droop.Extra bold is the tomato choice of omar's lebanese.
IF it stays alive long enough I can cut the tubing off with a razor to allow for growth.
Blue potato so it should be real interesting if the tomato is normal or not.
If it works I may try the tubing on tomato/tomato grafts.[/QUOTE]

I'm using silicone tubes that are commonly used by fish keepers for air pumps,I cut them 1/2-1 inch long,then cut those pieces vertically.They snug around stems perfectly and apply just enough grip to hold them together.

If you can you should graft a couple of them and use a different growing technique for each one.For example,the first one you can just let grow,no prunning.The second you can remove flower trusses,the third you can try limited number of stems,for ex. 2 or 3 with allowance of fruiting,the fourth same as 3d but cut out the flowers etc. etc...the possibilities are endless.I've abandoned tomato as scion for this experiment,because I think it can't outpreform non-grafted potatoes,but maybe you'll have a different experience.

I've only today planted S.Dulcamara,but it's not too late.I think I might try chinese lantern as a scion also,since it's a vigorous perenial weed in my yard.It's a long shot becuase it's a diffrent genus,but costs me nothing to try.

ALSO important note: potatoes will persistantly put out their own shoots and it's important to remove them as soon as they emerge because otherwise the point of experiment is ruined.Good news is they do stop at some point.

The scion has the droops but I keep misting it during the day.
Too much moisture can be no good tho.
One tomato/tomato experiment the graft failed but the scion set out it's own roots and was being kept alive by that.I was fooled into thinking success.
Tomato supply is limited so I will have to wait until they are bigger.
I topped a tomato plant to get the scion, so I didn't actually waste a plant.

I topped about a dozen plants to use the base as something to graft to.
I took the tops and put them outside in wet potting soil.
Should be interesting to see if they set out roots themselves.

None of the grafts took,I tried to do 5
I will have to plant the plants close together and try grafting with both plants having roots until the graft takes.

[QUOTE=slugworth;640552]None of the grafts took,I tried to do 5
I will have to plant the plants close together and try grafting with both plants having roots until the graft takes.[/QUOTE]

Ah that's too bad.Don't give up just yet.
Did you put the grafts in high-humidity environment with very little light? This is required for grafts to heal properly.

just the opposite.
I did mist them every few hours tho.
I don't think the potato stem heals/grows fast enough.

I had been using potatoes already starting to grow in a large deep tray with soil,but I think that is too bulky.I will switch over to seed potatoes sprouting loose and put them in individual zip lock plastic bags.

[QUOTE=slugworth;640639]I had been using potatoes already starting to grow in a large deep tray with soil,but I think that is too bulky.I will switch over to seed potatoes sprouting loose and put them in individual zip lock plastic bags.[/QUOTE]

Put the freshly grafted plants in complete shade-no sunlight until they heal.Afterwards gradually aclimate them to full sun.Good luck with your second attempt.

I cut 4 cells out of a cardboard egg container and soaked it with water.I put that in a plastic ziplock bag and the grafted potato into the holder.Zipped it up and put it under my kitchen cupboard.

I used the tubing on the graft so I will have to guess is it safe? to put it under gro lites.