When avocados are converted from one variety to another or in the case of severe frost or fire damage and there is still a healthy root system, sucker grafting should be considered.  This can lead to more rapid production and is one of the easiest, most successful grafting procedures.  It does take considerable attention to the graft and protection from damage by animals and overgrowth from competing suckers. 

A detailed presentation of the process is found in a UC publication – Propagating Avocados, authored by Bob Whitsell, Grey Martin, BOB Bergh, Alvin Lypps and Hank Brokaw.  This pamphlet was published in 1989 and is still the bible of avocado propagation.  It mentions the use of parafilm as a wrapping material.  It is now the standard for grafting and budding. Parafilm has pretty much replaced polyvinyl tape and asphalt emulsion for sealing and attaching the scions.  It is a strong material, yet readily stretches to allow for bud growth.  Where the grafts are exposed to the sun, this tape should also be painted white to protect the growing point from sunburn.

http://www.avocadosource.com/papers/research_articles/whitsellrh1989.pdf

And an older publication by E.O. Stromberg

http://www.avocadosource.com/CAS_Yearbooks/CAS_25_1940/CAS_1940_PG_89-91.pdf

The International Citrus Conference was just held and about 1,500 people came from all over the world to share their experiences and research in citrus.  It included marketers, growers, government officials and researchers who all had citrus as their interest.  It was remarkable the volume of information, everything from world production figures and marketing, new varieties, breeding technology, plant diseases and pests, water management and of course HLB and ACP, probably the two most fearsome world-wide problems. 

On the whole it was most hopeful to realize how much has been accomplished in the last several years to deal with the threat of HLB.  The biology of ACP is better understood in different situations, the disease progression in different citrus species is being recognized as being more or less aggressive, and how to manage the insect and disease are better understood.  Unfortunately, new threats (however none as mush as HLB) are being identified, such as citrus longhorn beetle.  Oh, my.

Read the Abstracts at:

http://www.icc2016.com/abstract/book-of-abstracts