With the involvement of 1 plant and some natural processes, a plant can reproduce asexually. The resultant will be genetically identical to the parent plant, and so many fruits and flowers are possible through this method called vegetative propagation. We will learn about the definition, types, purposes and forms of vegetative propagation along with suitable examples.
What is Vegetative Propagation?
When a plant reproduces asexually through the means of its roots, stem and leaves, then this process is said to be Vegetative Propagation. The respective part of a plant will be useful to produce new plant species, apart from its seeds. Banana, sweet potato, cassava, pineapple, are some of the real-time vegetative propagation examples.
Note that only 1 plant would be involved in the process of vegetative propagation. Natural reproduction results in an offspring which will be a new plant that is genetically similar to the parent plant.
There are 2 means by which a plant can asexually reproduce from its vegetative parts:
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Fragmentation (specific parts of a plant break either accidentally or naturally and the detached part itself grows into a new plant)
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Regeneration (the tissues of plants are physiologically renewed or repaired and replaced with new healthy cells)
Types of Vegetative Propagation
The participation of a human being is an important factor to plant reproduction since man has the potential to manipulate plant growth. Before we distinguish and define vegetative propagation with its types, it is important to learn the 2 main ways of how a plant can reproduce asexually – Natural and Artificial.
Natural Vegetative Propagation
When a plant is not disturbed by any human or external involvement, the propagation begins naturally by means of adventitious roots. Hence, a new plant is formed every time. The resulting plants are labelled as bulbs, runners, tubers, or rhizomes. Some of the common modes of natural vegetative propagation are as follows:
Tubers (modified roots) help in the development of new plants. Every bud is created at the stem’s base. Dahlia is a quick example.
Buds form at the nodes of runners that grow up the ground level. The buds grow into a completely new species. Mint grows by this process.
The leaf of a plant will detach, fall off and start growing again as a separate plant. One of the best examples of leave propagation is that of Bryophyllum.
Leaves are connected to the underground stem from the bulbs to store plant food. A shoot is then developed from the buds of the plant called the lateral buds. Garlic and onion grow this way.
Artificial Vegetative Propagation
As the name says, artificial vegetative propagation is simply defined as genetically modifying and growing a plant inside a clinical setup. This involves scholars and scientists preparing tests and solutions to carry out the process of plant vegetative propagation artificially inside laboratories. This procedure is possible in 4 different ways:
When natural conditions are not comfortable for a plant to grow, then this method is highly useful. With the help of a technician, the respective parts of a plant are segregated and cultured in a clinic. This way, one can develop rare and extinct cases of plant species effectively. Potatoes and sugarcane are produced through tissue culture propagation.
This is an artificial method of propagation, wherein a plant is first rooted deep into the ground. The cut part from another plant is attached and connected to the stem of the former. The tissues of both the rooted plant and the graft get interlinked and produce a new plant variant. Apples and pears grow by this means.
A part of the plant is cut and rooted in the soil, most commonly the leaf or stem. A new plant will develop from these cut roots, which is called the adventitious roots. Sometimes hormones (growth promoters) are injected into the contents for nurturing and inducing quick plant development. Roses grow in this method.
The layer is the part that will produce new plants. This layer is formed when the plant’s stem is bent downward and buried into the soil. The plant’s shoot tip will be under the ground. The covering soil helps in the growth of adventitious roots, thus forming plant variants. Honeysuckle, boxwood, wax myrtle are some of the examples of layering propagation.
What is Vegetative Propagation, and how does it work?
Plants employ their leaves, roots, and stems to reproduce vegetatively, which is an asexual method. Plant This can be caused by fragmentation and the regeneration of certain vegetative components.
Let’s take a closer look at the many types of vegetative propagation and some instances.
Vegetative Propagation Types
The following are some of the different types of vegetative propagation:
Propagation of Plants in the Natural Environment
This occurs when plants grow and develop naturally without the need for human interference. Natural vegetative multiplication can be aided by the formation of adventitious roots. As a result, new plants may sprout from the roots, stem, and leaves of the parent plant.
Rhizomes, bulbs, runners, tubers, and other vegetative plant structures emerging from the stem are referred to as rhizomes, bulbs, runners, tubers, and so on. The following are the vegetatively propagated plants:
Stem
Runners are plants that grow vertically above the ground. The buds are generated at the runners’ nodes.
Roots
Tubers are roots that have been inflated and manipulated to sprout new plants. At the base of the stem, buds form.
Leaves
A few plants’ leaves separate from the parent plant and grow into a new plant.
Bulbs
Bulb leaves are attached to a subterranean stalk. These leaves are capable of storing food. An apical bud, located in the bulb’s centre, produces leaves and flowers. The lateral buds develop into shoots.
Propagation of Artificial Plants
In the fields and laboratories, humans use this type of vegetative reproduction. The following are the most popular types of artificial vegetative reproduction:
Cutting
This method involves cutting a piece of a plant, such as a stem or a leaf, and planting it in the soil. Hormones are sometimes utilised to help these cuttings grow roots. The new plant is produced by the adventitious roots that emerge from the cutting.
Grafting
A cutting from another plant is joined to the stem of a plant that is rooted in the ground in this method. Over time, the tissues of the graft integrate with the tissues of the rooted plant, becoming a single plant.
Layering
This approach involves bending the plant’s stem to the ground and covering it with soil. The soil-covered plant components produce adventitious roots. The accompanying stem with developing roots is referred to as a layer.
Tissue Culture
In this procedure, plant cells from diverse parts of a plant are cultured in the lab to create a new plant. This strategy aids in the expansion of rare and endangered plant species that cannot flourish in their natural habitats.