Vegetative propagation is a type of asexual reproduction in plants where new individuals are formed without the production of seeds or spores, often using parts of the parent plant such as roots, stems, or leaves.
What are two natural methods of vegetative propagation?
Two natural methods of vegetative propagation are runners and tubers.
Explain how tubers are involved in vegetative propagation.
Tubers are thickened parts of plants, usually underground stems, that store nutrients and can give rise to new plants by sprouting from buds called 'eyes.'
How does vegetative propagation occur in bulbs?
In bulbs, vegetative propagation occurs through the growth of lateral buds, which can develop into new bulbs around the parent bulb, eventually forming new plants.
What role do runners play in vegetative propagation?
Runners are horizontal stems that grow at the soil surface, establishing new plants at nodes where they touch the ground.
Define artificial vegetative propagation.
Artificial vegetative propagation involves human techniques to propagate plants, such as cuttings, grafting, layering, and tissue culture.
How does grafting work in vegetative propagation?
Grafting involves joining parts of two plants so that they grow as a single plant, typically combining a rootstock and a scion.
What is tissue culture in the context of vegetative propagation?
Tissue culture is a method of vegetative propagation where plant cells or tissues are cultured in a sterile environment to grow new plants.
Explain the process of layering in vegetative propagation.
Layering involves bending a low branch to the ground and covering a part of it with soil to encourage root development before it is severed from the parent plant to form a new plant.
What types of plants commonly use leaf cuttings for propagation?
Plants with leaves capable of forming roots, such as African violets and succulents, use leaf cuttings for propagation.
What advantages does vegetative propagation have over sexual reproduction in plants?
Vegetative propagation is faster and can produce genetically identical plants, ensuring consistent traits, without reliance on seed production.
What is a rootstock in the context of grafting?
A rootstock is the part of a plant onto which another plant, the scion, is grafted during the process of grafting in vegetative propagation.
Can vegetative propagation occur naturally?
Yes, vegetative propagation can occur naturally through structures such as runners, rhizomes, tubers, and bulbs.
Discuss the role of rhizomes in vegetative propagation.
Rhizomes are underground stems that grow horizontally, sending out roots and shoots from its nodes to develop new plants.
List one advantage and one disadvantage of vegetative propagation.
Advantage: It produces clones, ensuring desired traits are retained. Disadvantage: Lack of genetic diversity makes plants susceptible to disease.