A Comprehensive Review on Vegetable Grafting: a Sustainable Approach to Boost Crop Growth, Development, and Yield Performance at High and Low N Status

Abstract Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) in crops refers to the yield gain per unit of N available in status of soil. Genetic modification or breeding techniques ensure excellent N absorption from the soil, and efficient utilization can improve it. To improve NUE and reduce production losses initiated by low Nitrogen Efficiency (NE) in maximum yielded vegetable crops, the principle is to graft these crops onto rootstocks that can improve scion NE in both minimum-input and maximum-input crop structures. Grafting at vegetable species is horticultural technique that combines numerous scions and rootstocks to enhance biotic and abiotic stress tolerances. N‑efficient rootstock can enhance crop’s NUE, which relies upon genotypic variability of both scion and the root stock, as well as their interactions in the graft combination. This review that consolidates existing data on the adverse influences of low and high N enrichment in vegetable crops, highlighting significance of balanced N management to reach optimum growth, yield, and fruit quality, and the position of vegetable grafting for improving NUE by grafting with N‑efficient rootstocks at sustainable horticultural crop production. Additionally, we reviewed all the newest data regarding grafting using various vegetable rootstocks to enhance growth and development, NUE, yield, and quality. This report may help scientists and producers improve yield and quality at low and high N levels in vegetable crops. We assess the report’s findings on how grafting can enhance productivity in horticultural production systems at both low and high N conditions.