Grafting albino variegates to pereskiopsis disaster

[AirWreck]

I sprouted about 100 seeds of Coryphantha macromeris v. runyonii that I obtained from Mesa Garden. About 10 of the seedlings were white as in had no chlorophyll. So, I was keen to graft them to pereskiopsis since they won't likely survive without their own chlorophyll and the curiosity of seeing what they will grow to be. Only about 7 survived long enough for me to get some pereskiopsis graft stock prepared. Of those seven grafts, 6 rotted in less than 3 days; I suspect rust fungus, that oh too familiar nemesis even though I tried cleaning the seedlings and graft stock with diluted isopropyl alcohol before performing the procedure.

So, I'm kind of wondering if these seedlings might have been so weak that they just couldn't handle the stress of grafting? I'm also wondering if anyone can share their knowledge, experience, insight of seedlings that have no chlorophyll and grafting them. I call these albino seedlings as they have no chlorophyll. I'm not sure what the established botanical term is for such seedlings nor do I know anything about the condition or their requirements for survival.

For now, there is one remaining albino seedling graft that hasn't completely withered to a brown smear. Its a bit flaccid and not plump; so its not out in the clear yet. Let's hope it holds. I did the grafts about one week ago. So, I just took off the humidity tent yesterday.

[AirWreck]

When I got home from work last night, I found the central meristem of the last remaining scion to be infected with a wee spot of rust fungus. So, I applied a dab of myclobutanil to it using a toothpick. I've done this to other seedlings infected with rust and it doesn't usually kill them but can shock them. So, its not a gentle treatment; however, it can be effective. After all, Its either life or death even if the life is brutal. Without the treatment, death would have been certain. I guess the better statement would be brutality or death. Lovely isn't it?

No one yet with any word about seedlings that sprout with no chlorophyll? I'd a appreciate a link to a past discussion or such like. My searches are coming up empty. At least knowing the accepted botanical term for such seedlings would help. This is a bit new to me. I've never before had seedlings that sprouted and were white due to having no chlorophyll.

[Hanazono]

G'morning AirWreck,

I found the central meristem of the last remaining scion to be infected with a wee spot of rust fungus.

I have never experienced to graft white Coryphantha species but experienced Astrophytum asterias. White asterias seedlings are possible to graft.
I am not sure because I do not see your photos but I think your grafting problem is not related white seedlings. It may be in relation to sterilization of knives because you could see rust fungus. I use two knives, one is for stock and the other is for scion. They are setrilized each cutting.

The attached photo is a grafted and grown white asterias seedlings.

Frank

[AirWreck]

Thank you for responding. I figured that since the scions had no chlorophyl of their own they were in a weak state to begin with. None of the green seedlings show any signs of rust fungus infection. So, I suspect the shock of grafting reduced their resistance to rust.
I'm not new to grafting and did all the sterilization steps and all that but my environment is brutal. Rust fungus spores are ubiquitous. There's no way for me to completely avoid contamination short of doing the grafts in a closed sterile container with the rubber gloves fastened to holes in the walls. Even then I wouldn't be confident because eventually the plants would have to come out of the box. Its a bit unreasonable for me to go to such extreme lengths but I sure wanted to see how these seedlings turned out. The last seedling/scion hasn't completely succumbed yet. So there's still a chance.