Most fruit trees are grafted to rootstocks. Why?

Answer 1

There seem to be a lot of reasons. The root stocks are often hardier (their roots don't freeze as fast as the natural root stocks of favorable fruits) but they don't give tasty fruit. OTOH, the yummy fruit has roots that freeze more easily (and die) or are susceptible to insects.

Some root stocks keep the tree small (dwarfing rootstocks) and that's convenient for the home gardener.

If you are in the States, contact your county extension agent to find out which kinds of rootstocks and fruit trees are good for your area.

http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/ho/ho82/ho82.htm

The first paragraph of this site gives you the three big reasons for grafting: dwarfing, disease resistance and insect resistance.

Answer 2

The seed from a Haralson apple will produce an apple tree, but it will not produce a Haralson apple tree. Likewise, the seed from a Honeygold apple will not produce a Honeygold apple tree. In other words, fruit trees cannot be reproduced "true" to the original cultivar from seed. They can only be reproduced by grafting. Grafting describes any of a number of techniques in which a section of a stem with leaf buds is inserted into the stock of a tree. Grafting is useful however, for more than reproduction of an original cultivar. It is also used to repair injured fruit trees or for topworking an established tree to one or more different cultivars.

Answer 3

The root stock is from a variety that is vary disease restraint but does not have good fruit, so you get the best of both worlds, disease restraint and good fruit. Another reason is some fruits need to be cross-pollinated, So more than 1 variety is grafted to the same root stock. This way you do not need 2 trees to get fruit.

Answer 4

i've got in basic terms viewed this with fruit timber (numerous citrus types grafted onto a unmarried rootstock) -- i'm useful the comparable concept could be utilized to non-fruit timber. Rootstocks are commonly chosen for power and resistance to soil-borne ailment.

Answer 5

To maintain consitent products, so all will be identical.

Answer 6

The second reason is so you can't dupicate it and they don't loose $$