Posted on 09/23/2013 5:34:19 AM PDT by Kaslin
Grafting may occur in nature but if so it is extremely rare, it is a common practice in horticulture. Grafting is NOT a trait selection process in the same way as hybridization or cross breeding. Grafting can be used to create a PLANT combining the traits of two or more different PLANTS but it does not produce fruit or seed with a combination of traits. A grafted plant will never produce offspring that combine traits of two different plants as cross breeding may, it could be compared in animal terms to attaching a head from a German Shepherd to the body of a Russian Wolfhound. If you want another like that you have to do it all over again. If you want to produce offspring with a combination of traits you must BREED the Shepherd and the Wolfhound and then you can continue the process to produce a new breed of dog. It is not even the same as producing a TRUE HYBRID such as a mule for instance, a mule does combine traits of horse and donkey but is infertile so that combination is not passed on.
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