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Grafting a Black Currant Scion onto a Blackberry Rootstock

13 years ago

Hi Guys,

I was wondering is it possible to graft a black currant scion onto a blackberry rootstock to produce a hybrid berry plant, as i have noticed that the black currants are of the ribes family of plants, and the black berry are of the rubus family of plants, how high are my chances of the graft taking and producing a unique berry hybrid

Thanks

Paul

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Comments (4)

nonmember_gw
13 years ago
Their nearest common ancestor was probably 110 million years ago. They are very distantly related; both "core eudicots", but that's about it.
mikeyinfla
13 years ago
i have to start out by saying i am no expert just a hobby gardener. most hybrids are from seedlings and some are from mutations/sports but very few hybrides are the result of grafting. it can happen where they throw off a graft chimera and a new plant will result but again fairly rare. it might be worth a shot to see if they are graft compatable. if they are graft compatable than i would get plants started from each. one blackberry rootstock and one currant than top graft the other to it. than use just those grafted plants to try to get them to cross breed it might not increase the chances of success. there is always arguments on if rootstocks influence any resulting seedlings. my point of view is that they share hormones and chemicals so it might not be a huge influence. but if it increases the chances a tiny fraction that there would be a better chance for the two not very close related plants to be able to produce seeds and than the seeds sprout it would still be more of a chance than it would have had withought the rootstock infuence. and even if you do get a hybrid there is nothing saying it will produce fruit there has been allot of hybrids that where completely sterile never producing any flowers at all. it might be worth a try if you have the time patience and grafting skills.
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keking
13 years ago
There are reports of non-chimera "vegetative hybrids" produced by grafting plants that are only distantly related. It's not easy, and it's best to start with seedlings.

The fact is, you'd have enough difficulty crossing the currant with the closely related gooseberry. Going outside the family usually leads to disappointment.

Karl

Here is a link that might be useful: Zhang: Graft-induced Inheritable Variation in Mungbean (2002)
jordan_californicus
13 years ago
Mikey's right.

Even if the graft was successful (and the odds are highly stacked against it), you would get a Black Current with some traits of the blackberry. Most likely growing habits, not necessarily fruiting ones. But this is all speculation because a graft =/= a hybrid.

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