Is hormonal analysis a predictive tool for grafting success in tomato?

Anatomical, physiological, and biochemical analyses have been performed to predict graft compatibility. We analyzed if the concentrations of auxins, jasmonic acid, gibberellins, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, zeatin (cytokinin), salicylic acid, and abscisic acid could be used as predictors of compatibility between the rootstocks FOX1 and FOX4 (resistant to Fusarium wilt) and the scion of cherry tomatoes Sweet Heaven (SH). Self-grafted (SH/SH) and ungrafted SH plants (SH) were used as controls. Hormonal analyses were performed on leaves, at 20 and 70 days after grafting (DAG), and roots, at 20 DAG. No expressive concentrations of auxins, gibberellins, or jasmonic acid were detected. The concentrations of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, the immediate precursor of ethylene, and zeatin were altered at 20 DAG, but they stabilized at 70 DAG. Salicylic acid levels were reduced in the leaves of grafted plants at 70 DAG. The concentration of abscisic acid (ABA) in the leaves of SH grafted onto FOX1 was higher than in ungrafted and self-grafted plants at 70 DAG, suggesting some degree of incompatibility between these genotypes. The concentration of ABA in the combination FOX4/SH was similar to that in the self-grafted plants. Abscisic acid might be used as a reference phytohormone to predict graft compatibility among tomato genotypes.