Piper Grafts Resistant to Both Pathogenic Phytophthora capsici and Meloidogyne incognita

Background: Quick death and slow death are common diseases affecting black pepper cultivation. Quick death is caused by the pathogenic Phytophthora capsici whereas slow death is caused by the pathogenic nematode Meloidogyne incognita. Piper hancei and Piper divaricatum are two species in the Piper genus that are resistant to these pathogenic agents. In this work, grafts between these disease-resistant rootstocks and high-yielding scions were created and the disease resistance of these grafts was characterized. Methods: Twelve graft combinations were created, using rootstocks of the disease-resistant HUIB_PD36 HUIB_PH30 and HUIB_PH46. The high-yielding P. nigrum cultivars (HUIB_PN27, HUIB_PN45, HUIB_PN69 and HUIB_PN97) were used as scions. The graft survival rates were evaluated and graft compatibility was examined using microscopy. Furthermore, pathogenic inoculation was employed to study graft susceptibility towards Phytophthora capsici and Meloidogyne incognita. Result: High survival rates, with high degrees of graft compatibility were observed in grafts derived from HUIB_PN27 scions. Furthermore, grafts derived from HUIB_PH30 and HUIB_PD36 rootstocks demonstrated robust resistance towards both Phytophthora capsici and Meloidogyne incognita.