Vegetable Grafting: A Horticultural Tool for Mitigating Abiotic Stresses in Vegetable Crops under a Changing Climate

Abstract

Vegetables are considered protective foods and play an important role in providing a balanced diet to human beings. Nevertheless, there is volatility in national agriculture output for vegetables, as vegetable crops are highly vulnerable to climate change. The purpose of this article is to systematically review contemporary research pertaining to the reaction of grafted plants to unfavorable chemical soil conditions, encompassing nutrient deficiencies, toxic metal concentrations, water deficits and surpluses, as well as extreme pH levels. Vegetables, being succulent in nature, are susceptible to a number of biotic and abiotic stresses. For the successful cultivation of vegetables, the crops should be resilient to abiotic stress under a changing climate. Conventional breeding techniques, which relay on extensive breeding cycle, are time intensive. Vegetable grafting, an environment sustainable, swift and effective plant surgery method, serves as the optimal alternative for climate-resilient crop production, tackling vegetable crop production against the abiotic stressors. It was concluded that the use of appropriate tolerant rootstocks improves crop growth, yield and quality in vegetable crops, which confer resistance against abiotic stresses.  Graft compatibility is a key factor in the success of grafting, so future studies should be focused on this aspect.