Vegetative propagation is one of the asexual reproduction types observed in plants. This mode of reproduction can be natural or artificial. It includes propagation of the vegetative parts of plant. For example, stems, roots, shoot buds, and leaves. In vegetative propagation, gamete formation and fertilization does not occur. Examples of such reproduction are rhizome of ginger, tuber of potato, guava etc.
- Natural vegetative propagation occurs by parts like stems and roots.
- Artificial propagation can be done by cutting, grafting, layering and tissue culture.
- It offers many commercial advantages along with scientific opportunities for agricultural research.
Read More: Living Things
Key Terms: Vegetative propagation, Asexual reproduction, Stem, Tubers, Grafting, Reproduction, Plants, Vegetative parts
Asexsual Reproduction
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In asexual reproduction, the offsprings are produced by a single parent. They are identical and an exact copy of their parent. These individuals are morphologically and genetically similar to each other and can be described as a clone.
Asexual reproduction is common among single-cell organisms. In the plant kingdom, asexual reproduction involves vegetative propagation and budding. Both of the methods can be done artificially for commercial benefits.
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| Related Topics to Vegetative Propagation in Plants | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pollination by Insects | Double Fertilization in Angiosperms | Pollination |
| Reproduction in Plants | Reproduction in organisms mcq | Reproduction in animals |
Vegetative Propagation
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Vegetative propagation can be defined as asexual reproduction in plants utilizing the parent plant's fragments. Vegetative propagation is sometimes also known as Vegetative Multiplication, and Cloning. Here other parts of a plant like a stem, root and leaves are used to produce a new identical plant instead of a seed.
Simple plants like algae reproduce by some unique structures like – zoospores, conidia, buds, and gemmule. Algee can produce both ways and uses fragmentation as a mean to achieve sexual reproduction. Regeneration is another means to achieve sexual reproduction, which is used widely in plants.
Read More: Difference Between Mitosis and Meiosis
Types of Vegetative Propagation
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The meristem tissues commonly occurring in the stem and leaves help in vegetative propagation. Meristem tissues contain undifferentiated cells that are constantly dividing. They give rise to the plant tissue system, which turns into a new plant.
Due to the many advantages of vegetative propagation, human intervention has led to various new plant species. Hence the vegetative propagation is divided into two types- Natural and Artificial.
Read More: Inbreeding Depression
Natural Means of Vegetative Propagation
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Natural vegetative propagation takes places by many vegetative parts of a plant.
Bulbs
The inflated underground parts of the steam surrounded by plump and layered leaves are called bulbs. The plump and leaves provide nutrients to the new shoots, which lie at the bulb's centre.
Example: Tulips, lilies
Runners
The modified stems that grow from the existing stem just below the surface are called runners. They are sometimes referred to as stolons. The buds on runners produce roots and stem that are different from the ones found on the rhizome. The buds on runners are more separated.
Example: Strawberries
Corms
Corms are also a type of enlarged underground stem. They are fleshy to store nutrients and surrounded by papery leaves. Corms and bulbs differ on the basis of their centres’ structure.
Example: Tunic
Tubers
Tubers can arise either from the root or a stem. Stem tubers rise from runners and rhizomes that are enlarged by storing large quantities of nutrients. The modified roots give rise to root tubers.
Example: Stem tubers in potato, Root tubers in sweet potato
Suckers
A plant stem that grows from the bud at the parent plant's base is known as a sucker. This phenomenon is also called root sprout. They may rise from the root or stem of the parent plant.
Example: Apple, Banana
Read More: Biomass
Artificial Means of Vegetative Propagation
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Farmers, horticulturists, and plant enthusiasts use artificial vegetative propagation methods to develop a species with desirable traits. It is now an established practice to use artificial means to create species that give more yield, produce a new variety of flower or fruit, create a more sustainable crop, etc.
Cutting
A part of the plant, generally from a stem or leaf, is sliced off and planted to achieve regrowth, which is called a cutting. To overcome the shock from slicing, the cutting is treated with growth inducing hormones.The new plant grows after the growth of adventitious roots.
Example: Rose
Grafting
Grafting is most common techniques used for commercially grown plants. Two tissues of plants, generally from two different plants, are joined to make them grow together. The upper part is called scion, and the lower part rooted in the soil is called the rootstock.
Example: Mango
Layering
This is both a naturally occurring and artificial method. In layering, a branch touches the ground either naturally or is purposefully bent to reach the soil. The part that is in contact with the soil will develop adventitious roots that will help in new plant growth.
Example: Jasmine
Things to Remember
- Vegetative propagation is the type of asexual reproduction in plants.
- Plants reproduce themselves by the propagation of vegetative parts.
- The natural vegetative propagation occurs by stems, leaves, shoots etc.
- Artificial methods include cutting, grafting and layering.
- Examples of natural vegetative propagation is the tuber in potato and rizome in ginger.
- Artificial vegetative propagation has been done to obtain jasmine, mango and rose.
- In simple words, the part or fragment of plant is propagated into the appropriate soil.
- This gives rise to the new plant.
Previous Years Questions
- Which one of the following is the unique feature of ...[COMEDK UGET 2014]
- What is the function of tapetum in a developing anther ?...[CUCET 2009]
- Female gametophyte in angiosperms is….[COMEDK UGET 2009]
- Double fertilization in angiosperms was discovered for ...[COMEDK UGET 2011]
- The term parthenogenesis was coined by...[CUCET 2010]
- Isogamy is found in...[CUCET 2010]
- In these plants artificial vegetative reproduction is possible through….[GUJCET 2006]
- Apomixis in plant means development of a plant… [BHU UET 2008]
- Which one of the following plants reproduces vegetatively by….
- Development of microsporangium in angiosperms and gymnosperms is of...[CUCET 2010]
- Anthesis is...[CUCET 2010]
- Anemophilous flowers do not have….[COMEDK UGET 2009]
- Pollenkitt helps in the….[CUCET 2009]
Sample Questions
Ques. What are the advantages of artificial Vegetative Propagation? (1 mark)
Ans. Using various artificial vegetative methods, one can quickly and easily produce identical plants of the same quality by bypassing the immature seedling phase.
Ques. What are examples of plants growing from the stem as means of vegetative propagation? (1 mark)
Ans. Potato, Ginger, turmeric and onion are typical examples of vegetative propagation from a plant's stem.
Ques. What is the disadvantage of vegetative propagation? (1 mark)
Ans. Since only one plant is involved in reproductions, we get many offspring without diversity, also the offspring and the parent are vulnerable to the same diseases.
Ques. Write down various vegetative parts of plant. (1 mark)
Ans. Parts such as roots, shhot buds, leaves and stems are vegetative parts of the plant.
Ques. What are the methods available for artificial propagation? Explain any one of them. (2 marks)
Ans. Vegetative propagation can be done artificially by cutting, grafting and layering.
Layering: A branch is purposefully bent to reach the soil. The part that is in contact with the soil will develop adventitious roots. New plant will grow from these roots. This also can occur naturally.
Ques. Explain cutting for vegetative propagation. (1 mark)
Ans. In cutting, a part of the plant is sliced off and planted to regrow. The cutting is treated with growth inducing hormones to overcome the shock from slicing,.The new plant grows after the growth of adventitious roots.
Ques. What is asexual reproduction? (3 marks)
Ans. Asexual reproduction is the process by which microbes and plants reproduces themselves. Unicellular organisms like bacteria and fungi reproduces by budding, conjugation etc. whereas the plant reproduces by both sexual and asexual method. Plant uses vegetative parts to grow a new plant. Budding is also possible in plants. Basically, organism or plant generates offsprings without gamete formulation and fertilization. A single parent can give birth to offspring. Asexual reproduction develops an offspring that looks like an exact copy of parent and thus, called a clone.
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