Proteomics: Method for Studying Vascular Connection Proteins between Scions Grafted on Rootstock

Grafting is widely used in the agriculture of fruit crops and vegetables. The grafting is made of two genotypes, the rootstock and scion. A successful grafting is a complex biochemical and structural process that starts with the union of two organisms, followed by callus development and the formation of a functional vascular system. The use of rootstocks, in which entire root system of a plant is replaced, has profound effect on scion developments. Indeed rootstocks are known to alter physiological processes in scions such as biomass accumulation, fruit quality and response to biotic and abiotic stress as described above. Quite a few recent studies have described significant factors underlying graft union formation at both the gene expression and protein translation levels. However, how the two organisms can share a vascular connection after successful grafting remains unclear. A possible mechanism at the proteome level can advocatecrucial information about the proteins/genes involved in the vascular connections of grafted plants.