Tag: common modes of vegetative propagation

Grafting is a type of artificial vegetative propagation in plants. In grafting, a shoot of one plant (scion) is attached to shoot of another plant (stalk). The scion and shoot join to each other with the help of vascular cambium.

The vegetative reproduction is a means of rapid propagation, as sex cells are not involved, the progeny is identical to parent plant and the process is a type of asexual reproduction. Vegetative reproduction can be natural or artificial (cutting, layering, grafting or use of stocks). Grafting is commonly used artificial method of vegetative propagation. In grafting cut stem end (scion) of one plant is artificially tied using wet clay to another obliquely cut stem (stalk) which is still attached to roots. The cambial activity in the stalk and scion later on establishes a vascular link between two plants. Arguably the process is possible because plants lack a well developed immune system which can reject foreign grafts.

Plants can be propagated vegetatively without involving the process of sexual reproduction. The vegetative propagation can be natural or artificial. With the objective of improving crops and ornamental plants, humans have devised various methods for asexual propagation of angiosperms. Most of these methods are based on the ability of plants to form adventitious roots or shoots. Cutting, layering, grafting, cloning are few such methods. The layering process refers to growth of roots by vegetative structure of stem when covered by a layer of soil.

Vegetative reproduction means reproduction without the involvement of sex cells or gametes. The process of vegetative reproduction can be natural or artificial. Protoplast fusion and plant tissue culture are biotechnological techniques used in the propagation of plants through vegetative cells. In protoplast fusion, the protoplasm of two vegetative cells are fused thus sex cells are not involved. In tissue culture, whole plants can be grown using a small explant made up of the meristematic cell.

Cutting, layering and grafting are some of the techniques of vegetative propagation in plants. In layering, a portion of an aerial stem grows roots while still attached to the parent plant and then detaches as an independent plant. 

Grafting is the technique whereby tissues from one plant are inserted into those of another so that the two sets of vascular tissues may join together.
Layering is a means of plant propagation in which a portion of an aerial stem grows roots while still attached to the parent plant and then detaches as an independent plant.
Twin scaling is a method of propagating plant bulbs. Twin-scaling is practiced by professional growers and skilled amateurs to increase bulbs that would naturally propagate very slowly.
Plant cutting, also known as striking or cloning, is a technique for vegetatively (asexually) propagating plants in which a piece of the stem or root of the source plant is placed in a suitable medium such as moist soil, potting mix, coir or rockwool. The cutting produces new roots, stems or both, and thus becomes a new plant independent of the parent.
Thus, the correct answer is option (A), 'Grafting'.

Layering is a means of plant propagation in which a portion of an aerial stem grows roots while still attached to the parent plant and then detaches as an independent plant.
Twin scaling is a method of propagating plant bulbs.
A cutting is a vegetative plant part which is severed from the parent plant in order to regenerate itself, thereby forming a whole new plant.
Micropropagation is the practice of rapidly  multiplying stock plant material to produce a large number of progeny plants, using modern tissue culture methods.
Thus, the correct answer is option (A), 'Layering'.

• A stem cutting is plant stem including a tip (e.g. shoot, twig, sucker, ) or a portion of a stem without the apex that includes one or more nodes removed from a parent plant and capable of rooting; A stem cutting is used to grow a whole new plant, which is also known as cloning.
• It is the most commonly used method to propagate many woody ornamental plants such as rose and Champa.

Many types of plants, like herbaceous plants, including roses are frequently propagated by cuttings. A cutting is a vegetative plant part, which is severed from the parent plant in order to regenerate itself, thereby forming a whole new plant.
Thus, the correct answer is option (B), 'Cutting'.

Grafting is a method in which two or more plant parts are joined such that they grow as a single plant. The upper plant part which is grafted onto the stump of another plant is called the scion. The lower part of plant on which scion is grafted is called as rootstock. Bulbil is a bulb-like structure present on the axil of a leaf. It is involved in vegetative propagation.