In the jujube-growing regions, it's common to encounter jujube pupa mosquitoes that cause significant damage to the trees. The larvae of these pests feed on the tender leaves, stimulating the mesophyll tissue and causing the leaves to curl into tubes. These curled leaves soon turn black and wither, leading to severe stress on the tree. The juvenile mosquitoes typically emerge in April and lay their eggs on new sprouts of jujube leaves. By early May, the infestation becomes a serious threat. Grafted buds, which tend to sprout later than regular jujube trees, often become the target of these pests. As a result, the newly emerging leaves are damaged and may even die.
To prevent this damage and improve the survival rate of grafted plants, it's essential to refine grafting techniques. One effective method involves using plastic bags after grafting. These bags help maintain moisture at the grafting interface, promoting callus formation and increasing the chances of successful scion survival. By enclosing the scion in a plastic bag, the young shoots are protected from mosquito attacks, allowing them to germinate and grow safely. Since the mosquitoes only target tender, new leaves and not the older ones, once the scion's leaves begin to expand, the plastic bags can be carefully removed. This prevents further damage and ensures the healthy development of the plant.
Another important consideration is the timing of grafting. Traditionally, jujube grafting occurs later in the season, but if done earlier—especially with yellow buds—the temperature inside the plastic bags can rise significantly, sometimes exceeding 42°C. While jujube trees are heat-tolerant, their new shoots are more sensitive. If the plastic bags are too small or if the leaves stick to the plastic, they can get burned. However, grafting earlier allows the plant to heal faster and start growing sooner, helping it avoid the peak period of mosquito activity. Moreover, an earlier graft leads to a longer growth period, resulting in better canopy development and an earlier entry into the high-yield phase. With proper timing and protective measures, the success of grafting can be greatly improved, ensuring healthier and more productive jujube trees.
Pediococcus pentosaceus are Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, non-motile and non-spore-forming, members of the industrially important lactic acid bacteria. Like other lactic acid bacteria, P. pentosaceus are acid tolerant, cannot synthesize porphyrins, and possess a strictly fermentative metabolism with lactic acid as the major metabolic end product (Axelsson, 1998; Garvie, 1986). Phylogenetically Pediococcus and Lactobacillus form a super-cluster that can be divided in to two sub-clusters, all species of Pediococcus fall within the Lactobacillus Casei – Pediococcus sub-cluster. Morphologically, pediococci (cocci; 0.6-1.0 mm in diameter) and lactobacilli (rods) are distinct. The formation of tetrads via cell division in two perpendicular directions in a single plane is a distinctive characteristic of pediococci. Pediococcus can be described as “the only acidophilic, homofermentative, lactic acid bacteria that divide alternatively in two perpendicular directions to form tetrads” (Simpson and Taguchi, 1995). Lactic acid is produced from hexose sugars via the Embden-Meyerhof pathway and from pentoses by the 6-phosphogluconate/phosphoketolase pathway (Axelsson, 1998). P. pentosaceus grow at 40 but not 50oC, between pH 4.5 an 8.0, in 9-10% NaCl, hydrolyzes arginine, can utilize maltose and some strains produce a “pseudo-catalase”.
Pediococcus Pentosaceus
Biodep Biotechnology Co. ,Ltd. , https://www.biodep.com