This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of scion properties (number of buds on scion, presence of terminal bud on scion, and scion diameter and length) on success of epicotyl grafting and early growth of grafted walnut ‘Chandler’ at the college of Aburaihan of University of Tehran, during 2013-14. Grafting success, survival of the grafted trees, callus quality, shoot length and leaf number per tree were measured 150 days after grafting. No significant differences were found between scions containing terminal bud or lateral buds. The highest callus quality, grafting success (83.4 percent) and survival rate (72.8 percent) were obtained by using double bud scions. Using scions with 3-6 mm diameter significantly increased grafting success (73.4 percent) and survival rate (61.1 percent) of the grafted trees. The highest survival rate (56.1 percent) was found in trees grafted with 7-12 cm scions. The highest leaf numbers were found in the trees grafted with double bud scions, and 7-12 cm scions (9.1 and 8.6 leaves, respectively). The longest shoots were observed in trees grafted with scions containing two bud, and 3-6 mm diameter and 7-12 cm length (9.1, 12.7 and 12.2 cm, respectively). In conclusion, using scions containing two buds, with 3-6 mm diameter and 7-12 cm length were suggested to improve success of epicotyl grafting and quality of the grafted walnut ‘Chandler’ trees.

Extreme grazing, illegal logging, fire and irregular harvesting are factors of forest degradation and boundaries change particularly in the upper parts of Caspian forests. Planting of exotic species such as Larix with good adaptability in these areas due to cattle's avoidance of grazing and immunity due to psychical effects on forest residents for its unknown identity, can help considerably to reestablishment of forest cover in upland degraded areas. Since there isn't enough seed for seedling production in the country and its high prices of seeds and currency need for procurement from foreign countries using of techniques that reduce the time to obtain enough seeds in the country is necessary. Grafted trees in comparison to non-grafted trees produce seeds in shorter time. Therefore, obtaining success in grafting was due to two factors: grafting time and scion diameter. According to the obtained results grafting time and scion diameter in prob., level of 1% and interaction between two factors in prob., level of 5% were significant. Therefore, the best time for grafting according to vegetative activity of stock and scion was the time that stock buds started swelling and scion buds were dormant (March) and the best scion diameter was more than 2 mm.

The effects of different budding methods (patch, chip and shield), budding time (June and fall) and budding conditions (greenhouse vs. field), percent taking of the buds callus formation and scion growth were studied in walnut (Juglans regia L.). According to the results, patch budding method had the highest percent of success in all conditions and at all times with 91% in June under greenhouse conditions. The least success in taking of buds was observed with chip and shield budding methods showing no success (0%) in fall budding and under field conditions. However, June budding under controlled conditions increased the shield and chip budding percent of success up to 31 and 19%, respectively. With some exceptions, the same results were also obtained with callus formation and scion growth, i.e. the highest values for these two attributes were observed in patch budding. However, callus formation did not vary between greenhouse and field conditions.Scion growth was observed to be the highest (10.2 cm length) in fall budding and under greenhouse conditions.

In order to study the effect of rootstock, scion and some methods of grafting and budding to achieve the best methods of grafting in pomegranate, split factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design in March 2013 in greenhouse at the Agricultural College of Vali-e-Asr University of Rafsanjan. Factors included rootstock, scion, and methods of grafting and time of grafting. Varieties of grafted plants of Poust Ghermez-e-Ali Aghaei, Garch-e-Dadashi and Garch-e-Shavar were used as rootstock; varieties of Rabab-e-Neyris and Khafr-e-Jahrom were used as scion. Methods of Cleft grafting, Chip budding were used. The vegetative parameters were measured at three times: 60, 120 and 180 days after grafting. Results showed that the methods of grafting had significant effect on grafting success and establishement of grafted seedling. The cleft grafting had more grafting success compared to Chip budding, but rootstock and scion genotypes had no significant effect on grafting success and survival of grafted plants. The highest rate of vegetative parameters in all grafting was obtained in 180 days after grafting. There were negative correlation between phenolic compounds of rootstock and scion with the percent of survived grafted seedling. Finally, the Cleft grafting technique showed to be more successful method for propagation and scion cultivar change of pomegranate.

Objective: Chinese lantern (Physalis alkekengi L.) is an important medical herb due to its physalin. This plant is widely used to treat various diseases. Therefore, developing a repeatable micropropagation method for this plant would be valuable.Methods: In this study, shoot tips and axillary buds of Chinese lantern were treated with different growth regulators (IAA, NAA, BAP, GA3, and IBA) with various concentrations. In another experiment, the effect of salt concentration on the MS medium was investigated.Results: The results showed that using axillary buds as an explant in the full-strength MS, supplemented with 2 mg/L BAP and 0.5 mg/L IAA, resulted in a higher number of shoots per explant (3±1.22) and the highest number of nodes (13±1.22) and stem length (8.04±1.92). Compared with other strengths of MS salts, the full-strength MS medium, supplemented with 2 mg/L BAP and 0.5 mg/L IAA, or 0.5 mg/L BAP alone produced the highest number of shoots per explant, number of nodes, and stem length. However, the MS salt supplemented with a low concentration of BAP (0.5 mg/L) alone looks economically feasible. Decreasing the salt concentration of the basal medium decreased all micropropagation characteristics and in most cases, the decrease was statistically significant. The ddition of GA3 to the combination of 2 mg/L BAP and 0.5 mg/L IAA, significantly improved stem elongation at the concentration range of 0.5 – 1.5 mg/L The number of roots was higher (2±00) after 30 days on the MS basal medium when supplemented with 1 and 2 mg/L NAA or 2 mg/L IAA. The well-rooted plantlets were isolated and transplanted to paper cups for hardening and the well-established plants were transferred to the field for acclimatization.Conclusion: In conclusion, our results showed that the full strength of MS medium, supplemented with 2 mg/L BAP plus 0.5 mg/L IAA and 0.5–1.5 mg/L GA3 improved micropropagation characteristics of P. alkekengi.