Perspectives of Vegetable Grafting in Pakistan: Current Status, Challenges and Opportunities

In Pakistan vegetables are grown on fairly a large area and help to fulfill the food requirements of increasing population. The average yield of vegetables in Pakistan is lower compared with the other vegetables growing countries; several reasons contribute towards this low yield such as biotic factors (diseases and pest attack), abiotic factors (low and high temperature stress, high light intensity, water scarcity, and salinity), seed quality, and potential of local vegetable's cultivars. Vegetable grafting is commercially practiced in more than 28 countries across the world. According to the best of our knowledge, up till now there is no research work or practical application of vegetable grafting in Pakistan. Thus in this review we have tried to highlight the importance of vegetable grafting, and how this technique can help uplift/boost up the vegetable sector of Pakistan. Additionally, a working model has been suggested for the development of vegetable grafting in the country. In Pakistan, vegetables such as cucumber, melon, watermelon, tomato, pepper, and bell pepper are sown in plastic tunnels during winter (November and December) to get off season/early produce, however, because of low temperature during the early crop growth period (November-February), a slow rate of growth is observed. Grafting of these vegetable onto selected low temperature tolerant rootstocks can enhance the growth and productivity of vegetables. On the contrary, watermelon, muskmelon, tomato and chilies cultivated under field conditions during the summer season (March-September) suffer from higher temperatures and water scarcity. The use of appropriate rootstocks can enhance the heat and drought tolerance of these vegetables. In short, grafting can be utilized to overcome a large number of problems associated with vegetable production in Pakistan such as soil borne and foliar pathogens, nematodes attack, low and high temperatures stress, salt and heavy metals stress, drought and flooding stress. Additionally, grafting can improve the yield; prolong harvesting period and postharvest life of vegetables, provided appropriate rootstocks are utilized. Grafting of vegetables ensures limited use of inputs (pesticides and fertilizers), thus protects environment, promotes organic vegetable production; and it can help to uplift the economic status of farmers of Pakistan. (C) 2017 Friends Science Publishers