Rootstock effects on growth, reproduction and wood properties in hybrid larch (Larix x eurolepis Henry) and in some other Larix sp. grafting associations

Key message

When grafting is used in breeding, the choice of the rootstock should not be underestimated. Its impact on grafted individuals can be either beneficial for reducing tree size or enhancing flowering such as in seed orchards or detrimental if it is a source of bias in clonal testing. This is demonstrated in an experimentation with Larix where the impact of grafting on the same or a different species rootstock is studied on several traits.

Keywords
Vegetative propagation; Rootstock-scion interaction; Seed orchard; Clonal testing; Diallel grafting design; Breeding; Homo-/hetero-plastic grafting

Publication
Pâques, L.E. Rootstock effects on growth, reproduction and wood properties in hybrid larch (Larix x eurolepis Henry) and in some other Larix sp. grafting associations. Annals of Forest Science 82, 9 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13595-025-01281-y

Data availability
The datasets analysed during the current study are available from recherche.gouv.data dataverse (https://doi.org/10.57745/WIJ60K).

Handling editor 
Erwin Dreyer