grafting on a caprifig to clean FMV

[andreas-patras]

Hi
i found some capri figs and thought about getting the wasp to my trees, but now i am having second thoughts.
i know that caprifigs are FMV free
can i graft on the capri and clean a bad black madeira?
(i dont have black madeira... i am just asking if it will work)
thanks

[Kelby]

The Black Madeira would just infect the caprifig.

[AscPete]

Research has shown that some forms of FMV are bonded to the Fig DNA, and that there are usually several (a @@@@tail) present in severely infected plants.
A healthy root stock may provide added vigor to a severely infected scion, but it may also result in infecting the rootstock with the virus, or at least some of the virus @@@@tail.
Good Luck.

[andreas-patras]

i dont think it works that way Kelby

[Kelby]

Viruses travel through a plant's vascular system, trust me. Like Pete said, it might add some vigor, but the caprifig would be infected. Grafting is why everything at UCD has FMV, I've read.

[andreas-patras]

Pete thanks for the info.
i know some oldtimers here in greece use this method to clean FMV
like i said i dont have black madeira so i have no idea what ''@@@@tail'' is in there

[Gina]

It's thought that figs originating from the UCDavis collection have been infected with more than one strain of the virus since figs from many original locations were planted in one location. Add the infecting mite and various grafts... hence a virus @@@@tail.

[Gina]

Do you have a reference about caprifigs being virus free? If caprifig trees live where the mite that spreads the disease also lives, are caprifigs somehow immune? Or are you talking about caprifigs grown from seedlings in a mite-free environment?

I also think that an infected scion would infect a disease-free root stock since after the graft union is made, stock and scion would be connected via the water and food conducting tissues through which virus particles could spread.

But give it a try and let us know. It might be helpful in giving the tree a boost early in life.

[cis4elk]

Well Andreas, the best way to test it would be to dig a root sucker, graft to that, and pot it up. That way, if the Black Madeira does infect the caprifig it's no big deal. You could even plant the grafted capri/BM somewhere away from the others, sort of a quarentine, yet still in ground.

[andreas-patras]

thanks Gina and Calvin

i have been told that capri figs do not have FMV
i never took the time to check it out, but this looks like a good reason to do so.
i will look for a root sucker and if i find one with some kind of root system i will graft on it
i dont have black madeira. i was going to use an MP type that a friend of mine tells me it loaded with it

[AscPete]

Andreas,
If you have fig mites and infected trees near the capri figs then they probably have been infected with some strain of FMV. There's some posted research info from the mediterreanian about some of the different viruses...
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...86475890,d.cWc

[andreas-patras]

thank you Pete
i just downloaded it and will read it.
again thanks for the info and help

[AscPete]

You're welcome...

[penandpike]

I think what these old men are saying is that the caprifig is simply immune to this virus and if you graft on it's roots the virus will be in the caprifig sistem but it will not be infected just hosting the virus.

[SharonC]

I agree with penandpike. I suspect if the caprifig is immune to the virus the the root system would be un-affected by the virus and have normal vigor. The top portion would be stronger because the heath root system would supply the water and nutrition.

[drphil69]

Sorry I don't have the reference, but grafting FMV scion onto a healthy tree can infect the entire tree, it's been proven. I know nothing of capri figs being fmv free, but if they are maybe this could work. What Pete says makes good sense - the vigor of the caprifig may help the infected scion "grow out" of it, or effectively dilute the virus in the scion by spreading around the rest of the tree.

[Gina]

Does anyone have a reference beyond hearsay stating that caprifigs are indeed immune to FMV? I'm not a fig authority, but I've just never heard that before. If that is true, I would think grafting onto FMV-free rootstocks would be common practice.

[andreas-patras]

i think Harvey did it or will do it. (black madeira on capri) so you will soon have the answer.

[Brian M]

I have many Capri figs near me. What's funny I can't remember examining the leaves,ever. I have some small starter plants that have discoloration in some leaves but not sure if it is fmv. I believe we are still a few weeks before the trees are leafed out. I'm definitely gonna check them out.

[Gina]

i think Harvey did it or will do it. (black madeira on capri) so you will soon have the answer.

I have no doubt that there are some caprifigs that don't have fmv, or that a fig can't be successfully grafted onto a caprifig rootstock. But that really does not address the issue whether all caprifigs are immune to, or don't have fmv. I did a short search last night and found nothing. Of course that just means I might not have found the right information.

edit: If any fig grown from a seed does not have fmv (prior to being infected by the mite), than grafting onto any fig grown from a seed might also allow one to begin with a disease-free root stock. But eventually the virus probably will travel through the vascular system and infect the roots.

[hoosierbanana]

The biggest issue with FMV is that it can affect cuttings badly, they can get stunted and grow unreliably. Grafting to an existing root system may alleviate that.

Gina, Alma is supposed to be immune because the trait was passed from the father Hamma caprifig, a palmata hybrid or sometimes called pseudocarica. Any old caprifig is not immune though.

[Hershell]

If Alma is resistant to FMV then Black Madera should be grafted to Alma so it would have a strong root system that wouldn't get FMV assuming that the Black Madera that is grafted to it Alma is infected. If not it would still have a faster growing root system. I was going to graft BM to my huge Celeste tree but changed my mind because of the possibility of infecting it with FMV.

[Chrisk]

A couple of years ago my oriental pear tree got infected by fire blight. Lost every single fruit embrio and the tips started turning black wilt and die. The only defense against it is cutting off every limb that shows traces of the disease as quick as possible to stop the spread of that horrible fungus. It worked very well but you have to stay on top of it every day by checking and chopping constantly . This past season I noticed signs of FMV on a couple of small fig tree cuttings and desided to apply the same technique as if it was fireblight by removing the infected leaves. By the end of summer I had no signs of FMV of my figs. I don't know if doing this is recommended or common practice since I have done no research on it but I know it worked in my case. I could be coincidental or not even FMV that I was dealling with. Please let me know what you think.
Andrea sorry for hijacking your topic. Best of luck with the graft. I m sure the oldtimers know something we don't!