rootstock

American  

[root-stok, root-] / ˈrutˌstɒk, ˈrʊt- /

noun

1. Horticulture. a root and its associated growth buds, used as a stock in plant propagation.

2. Botany. a rhizome.

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rootstock British  

/ ˈruːtˌstɒk /

noun

1. another name for rhizome

2. another name for stock

3. biology a basic structure from which offshoots have developed

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rootstock Scientific  

/ ro̅o̅t′stŏk′,rt′- /

1. See rhizome

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Etymology

Origin of rootstock

First recorded in 1930–35; root ¹ + stock

Example Sentences

Once scientists realized that the American vines were resistant to the pest, they used grafting to combine the Vitis vinifera scions — pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, champagne — with the American, phylloxera-resistant rootstock.

From Salon • Oct. 30, 2022

In other states, efforts to ban the trees have faced resistance from the plant industry, researchers said, given how much nurseries rely on their hardiness in using it as rootstock.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 26, 2021

The soil of Napa Valley may be more diverse than any in the world and trying to understand all the variables, whether it’s rootstock, humidity or the effects of climate change, is humbling.

From New York Times • Jun. 26, 2020

Previously, folk would simply make new by grafting scion wood of the desired variety to rootstock.

From Washington Post • Apr. 3, 2020

A rhizome, or rootstock, is a horizontal underground stem.

From The Wild Flowers of California: Their Names, Haunts, and Habits by Parsons, Mary Elizabeth