How Plant Grafting Actually Works and Why It's So Cool

What is the main benefit of grafting an older fruit-producing shoot onto a younger rootstock?

• To make the fruit taste sweeter.

• To make the tree grow taller.

• To get fruit much faster than growing from a seed.

• To change the color of the fruit.

Which parts of two different plants are typically joined together during the grafting process?

• Two leaves from different plants.

• A root from one plant and a shoot from another.

• Two flowers from different plants.

• A seed from one plant and a fruit from another.

How was grafting used to save the European wine industry from a destructive insect pest?

• European grape roots were grafted onto American grape shoots.

• American grape roots, which resisted the pest, were grafted onto European grape shoots.

• The pest was genetically modified to not harm European grapes.

• A new type of pesticide was developed specifically for the pest.

Why is grafting often preferred over planting seeds for growing fruit trees like apples?

• Grafting makes the trees grow much larger.

• Seeds from fruit trees often produce fruit that tastes different or bad.

• Grafted trees require less water and sunlight.

• Grafting is a faster way to develop true-breeding varieties.

What happens to cells at the cut edges of a root and shoot soon after they are joined together in grafting?

• They immediately form new leaves.

• They de-differentiate and become stem cells.

• They stop growing and die.

• They only form new roots.

Which plant tissue is primarily responsible for carrying water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant?

• Phloem

• Cambium

• Xylem

• Epidermis

What role do hormones and other molecules play in a grafted plant?

• They only help the plant produce more flowers.

• They establish a connection between the root and shoot and regulate growth.

• They cause the grafted plant to reject the new shoot.

• They make the plant grow slower.

How do small RNA molecules, like microRNAs, affect gene expression in plants?

• They directly create new genes.

• They destroy or modify RNA molecules that produce proteins.

• They only increase the activity of all genes.

• They prevent the plant from growing.