To investigate the importance of light on healing and acclimatization, in the present study, grafted watermelon seedlings were exposed to darkness (D) or light, provided by blue (B), red (R), a mixture of R (68%) and B (RB), or white (W; 35% B, 49% intermediate spectra, 16% R) LEDs for 12 days. Survival ratio, root and shoot growth, soluble carbohydrate content, photosynthetic pigments content, and photosynthetic performance were evaluated. Seedling survival was not only strongly limited in D but the survived seedlings had an inferior shoot and root development, reduced chlorophyll content, and attenuated photosynthetic efficiency. RB-exposed seedlings had a less-developed root system. R-exposed seedlings showed leaf epinasty, and had the smallest leaf area, reduced chlorophyll content, and suppressed photosynthetic apparatus performance. The R-exposed seedlings contained the highest amount of soluble carbohydrate and together with D-exposed seedlings the lowest amount of chlorophyll in their scions. B-exposed seedlings showed the highest chlorophyll content and improved overall PSII photosynthetic functioning. W-exposed seedling had the largest leaf area, and closely resembled the photosynthetic properties of RB-exposed seedlings. We assume that, during healing of grafted seedlings monochromatic R light should be avoided. Instead, W and monochromatic B light may be willingly adopted due to their promoting effect on shoot, pigments content, and photosynthetic efficiency.

This study aimed to assess the morphological and physio-biochemical responses of a commercial watermelon (Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai) cv. ‘Crimson Sweet’ grafted onto a drought-tolerant rootstock of wild watermelon (bitter apple, Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrad, ‘Esfahan’) in comparison with an ungrafted ‘Crimson Sweet’ watermelon or one grafted onto a commercial interspecific Cucurbita hybrid (Cucurbita maxima Duch. × Cucurbita moschata Duch.) rootstock (‘Shintoza’) under water stress. The experiment was conducted in pots under a controlled environment in a greenhouse, and water stress was imposed by maintaining moisture level in pots at 100% (well water (WW)) or 50% (water deficit (WD)) of container capacity (CC). WD significantly decreased most of the morphological traits in ungrafted and grafted plants, while the decrease in growth traits was lower in grafted plants than ungrafted plants. The response of grafted plants onto wild watermelon rootstock (‘Esfahan’) for most of the affected parameters (shoot fresh and dry weight, vine length and internodal length) was, however, comparable to those grafted onto commercial Cucurbita hybrid rootstock (‘Shintoza’). Plants grafted onto bitter apple (wild watermelon) exhibited a relatively lower decrease in growth and biomass, besides showing higher antioxidant activity (e.g., guaiacol peroxidase) concomitant with the lower accumulation of malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage in the leaf tissues in comparison with ungrafted plants. The overall growth performance, as well as those under water stress conditions in commercial rootstock-grafted watermelon, was related to its better plant water status (e.g., high relative water content) which was likely ascertained by its greater root efficiency. This suggests that watermelons grafted onto bitter apple rootstock and Cucurbita hybrid rootstock were constitutively more resistant to drought, with higher efficiency in mitigating oxidative stress than ungrafted treatment. The above findings demonstrated that bitter apple, a well-adapted desert species, can be used as an alternative rootstock to commercial rootstocks (e.g., ‘Shintoza’) for watermelon grafting under water stress conditions. In addition, bitter apple rootstock can be involved in rootstock breeding programs to improve drought tolerance in watermelon.

Healing and acclimatization are critical in vegetable grafting under controlled environments. Here, we investigated the impacts of LED light qualities on the morphological traits and photosynthetic performance of grafted tomato seedlings. Seeds of the tomatoes “DRW 7806 F1” and “Maxifort” (Solanum lycopersicum × Solanum habrochaites) used as scion and rootstock were planted in 104-cell plug trays into a mixture of cocopeat and perlite (volume ratio: 3 to 1). Survival ratio, above- and underground growth, photosynthetic performance, soluble carbohydrate content, pigmentation, and antioxidant enzymes activity were evaluated following 20 days of exposure to different light qualities, including white (35% B, 49% intermediate spectra, 16% R) light as control, blue, red, and a combination of red (68%) and blue with the same light intensity of 75 ± 5 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹. The lowest scion diameter, leaf area, root and shoot dry weight, SPAD value, and the highest scion length and amount of soluble carbohydrate were detected in R-exposed seedlings. Moreover, R-exposed seedlings showed leaf epinasty and reduced photosynthetic performance. On the other hand, RB-exposed seedlings showed the highest leaf area, shoot and root dry weight, plant fresh and dry weight, scion stem diameter and photosystem II efficiency. In addition, superoxide dismutase activity was increased in R-exposed seedlings, while guaiacol peroxidase activity was enhanced in seedlings grown in RB. In conclusion, a combination of R and B is suggested as the suitable light spectrum to promote plant growth and photosynthetic performance in grafted tomato seedlings.

Photosynthetic characteristics, concentrations of mineral elements in xylem sap, and some vegetative traits of ‘Khatooni’ melon were compared with those of melons grafted onto three Cucurbita rootstocks cvs., Ace, Shintozwa, and ShintoHongto, and trained with three methods: T1) no pinching and fruit thinning; T2) pinched to produce two lateral branches; and T3) pinched to two branches and all the flowers and lateral branches from lower nodes thinned. Internal CO ₂ and water use efficiency varied with rootstocks. Stem diameter of scions, aerial fresh and dry weights, mean fruit weight and yield, electric conductivity, pH, and sap volume per plant of grafted plants were higher in grafted melons than in the nongrafted ones. These traits were unaffected by training methods. Mineral concentrations varied considerably depending on the rootstocks and training methods used. Xylem sap collected from the decapitated stem base of grafted melons trained with T2 and T3 methods contained a higher amount of mineral ions, especially NO ₃ ⁻ , PO ₄ ³⁻ , and K ⁺ , than did the sap from own-rooted plants. The increase in the mineral levels in sap resulting from grafting was most apparent in ‘Khatooni’ grafted onto ‘ShintoHongto’ rootstock.

The use of grafted vegetable seedlings has been popular in many countries during recent years, and several Cucurbita species and their interspecific hybrids have been tested as rootstocks. Graft-scion incompatibility and lower fruit quality have prevented their commercial use. In this study, the efficacy of grafting the commercial Khassib cucumber hybrid onto various cucurbits, used as rootstocks, was examined in a greenhouse experiment. This experiment was done in a completely randomized design with eight treatments: local landraces of bottle gourd (Ghalyani) and pumpkin (Tanbal) and commercial Cucurbita interspecific hybrids (909, 913, Ferro, 64-19, and Shintoza). Ungrafted plants were used as controls. Results indicated that the highest survival rates were using Ferro hybrid (94%), Cucurbita maxima (Tanbal) (92%), 64-19 and Shintoza (90%). These results appeared to be related to the stem diameter of the rootstocks and, to a lesser extent, to the scion diameter. Cucumber production was not improved by grafting. The highest yield was obtained with Ferro rootstock, but it was no different compared to ungrafted plants. A significantly lower production than the control was observed with Ghalyani (−44%), 913 (−73%) and 64-19 (−35%) rootstocks. Total soluble solids (TSS) of fruit produced by ungrafted plants was significantly higher than the other treatments. The highest length/diameter ratio was obtained with 909 and Ghalyani rootstocks, whereas more stocky fruit were produced by plants grafted onto Tanbal and 64-19 rootstocks.