Vegetative Propagation

Vegetative propagation is a type of asexual reproduction in which a new plant grows from the vegetative part of the parent plant instead of the reproductive part i.e. the flower. The produced offspring are vegetative clones of the parent plant i.e. both the parent and offspring are genetically identical without any variation. The vegetative parts that are used in the case of vegetative reproduction are roots, leaves, and stems.

Vegetative propagation can occur naturally or be induced artificially by a technique called Artificial Vegetative Propagation. A common example of vegetative propagation can be seen in a Potato where its ‘Eyes’ act as the vegetative part from which the whole plant can be grown.

What is Vegetative Propagation?

Vegetative propagation is a type of Asexual reproduction of plants. It occurs via leaves, roots, and stems of the plant. It is a method through which new plants can be derived from Vegetative structures. Vegetative propagation is widely used in agriculture, horticulture, and in cultivation of ornamental plants. This process has many benefits, including the capacity to make sterile hybrids and the retention of desirable features as well as quick plant growth.

Examples of Vegetative Propagation

Some of the commonly seen examples of Vegetative Propagation are

1. Roses are often multiplied by planting their cuttings which include stem cuttings.
2. Mint plant, which is seen in the kitchen garden grows and spreads quickly with the help of its underground stems called stolons, which grow roots and leaves.
3. Tulips are grown on a large scale for ornamental purpose by colelcting their Bulbs and then planting them.
4. Cherry and Apple trees can be propagated using shoots called suckers, which are found at the base of the tree.

Types of Vegetative Propagation

Vegetative Propagation is divided into 2 subtypes:

1. Natural Vegetative Propagation
2. Artificial Vegetative Propagation

Natural Vegetative Propagation

In the natural technique of vegetative propagation, the vegetative parts of the plant can be utilised so that the plant can propagate faster. It occurs with the help of the vegetative structures of the plant like stem, roots, and leaves.

1. Roots: Tap roots of Guava, Dalbergia, etc., and adventitious roots of Sweet potato, Dahlia, etc. give rise to adventitious buds that help in their vegetative propagation.
2. Leaves: In plants like Kalanchoe, Adiantum, Bryophyllum, etc. the leaves give rise to the adventitious buds for vegetative propagation. In the case of Begonia, the injured area in the leaf gives rise to an adventitious bud.
3. Runners: Some plants, including grasses and strawberries, generate horizontal stems (sometimes referred to as stolons or runners) that rise above the ground. These stems eventually divide into genetically identical plants by producing roots and new shoots at nodes.
4. Rhizomes: Plants like Ginger, Bamboo, etc. have modified underground stems that are horizontal, thick, and fleshy, known as rhizomes. These are capable of producing new shoots and roots when they emerge from the soil.
5. Suckers: Plants like Chrysanthemum, Mentha, etc. have modified sub-aerial stems that grow horizontally below the soil surface, and its tip directly gives rise to a shoot with or without root.
6. Tubers: Plants like Potatoes, etc. have modified underground swollen stems that help in storing food. These stems also have nodes that are called eyes that have bud in them which gives rise to new plants.
7. Offsets: Aquatic plants like Eichhornia, Pistia, etc. have modified sub-aerial stem-like runners but with smaller internodes that give rise to a new plant from its nodes.
8. Bulbs: Plants like Onions, Tulips, etc. have condensed modified underground stem with Adventitious roots and fleshy scale-like leaves that store food. A new plant arises from the node present in the stem.

Artificial Vegetative Propagation

When vegetative propagation takes place artificially based on human commercial requirements, it is called Artificial vegetative propagation. The part of a plant that is used for artificial vegetative propagation is called vegetative propagule. These methods are beneficial to retain desirable traits like flavor, color, disease resistance, etc.

1. Cutting: In plants like Lemon, Orange, etc., a part of the root is cut or excised and planted in a new place to grow a new plant. In plants like Rose, Grape, etc the stem is cut and planted to grow new plants. In plants like Sansevieria, etc. the leaf is cut and planted in a new place to grow a new plant. All these cut or excised parts are provided with growth promoters like IBA, and NAA to promote the new plant’s growth.
2. Grafting: In plants like Mango, Guava, etc. the stem system of the desired variety is cut and inserted into the root system of another healthy plant. The stem system is called a Scion and it can be single or multiple whereas the root system is called stock and it is only one. This method can be performed in plant varieties of the same species to give rise to new healthy or multiple plants.
3. Layering: In plants like Jasmine, Tomatoes, etc. a single stem or multiple stems can be bent and buried in the soil to give rise to a new plant (s). Before burying the stem, an incision is made in the node from which a new plant arises. In the case of air layering or Gootee instead of burying the stem a patch of soil and peat moss is wrapped around the incised node.
4. Tissue Culture: It is also called Micropropagation and is done for plants like Bananas, Orchids, etc. in which cells or tissues of a plant are cultivated in a suitable medium in a laboratory from which multiple disease-free plantlets can be produced.

Advantages of Vegetative Propagation

Below is a list of the advantages of vegetative propagation:

1. Vegetative reprouction allows for the maintenance and propagation of desirable traits and qualities such as disease resistance, fruit quality, and decorative features.
2. Facilitates rapid plant multiplication, making it faster and more effective than cultivating plants from seeds for propagation.
3. Ensures uniformity in terms of traits and performance among propagated plants, allowing it to be used in commercial agriculture and landscaping.
4. Allows for the cultivation of sterile hybrid plants that cannot produce viable seeds, safeguarding valuable hybrids in agriculture and horticulture.
5. Many vegetatively propagated plants grow strong root systems fast, boosting their chances of a successful establishment when transplanted.
6. Reduces the requirement for seed production, saving resources and improving the environment.
7. Promotes the protection and conservation of relatively uncommon plant kinds and animals that might not generate seeds.

Disadvantages of Vegetative Propagation

Below is a list of the Disadvantages of vegetative propagation:

1. Produces genetically identical offspring, which can be detrimental when environmental conditions change or when genetic variation is required for adaptability.
2. If the parent plant is affected with a disease, the reproduced plants may inherit the disease, increasing vulnerability to pests and diseases.
3. Vegetative propagation produces clones, which reduces the chance for genetic variety, which is vital for evolution and adaptation.
4. Dependent on a healthy parent plant; any problems or diseases that affect the parent plant may be passed on to the propagated plants.
5. Not all plant species can be grown vegetatively; some rely on sexual reproduction for proliferation.
6. Some vegetative growth methods are less accessible to all growers since they call for specific skills and expertise.

FAQs on Vegetative Propagation

1: Which Plants can be Grown using Vegetative Propagation?

Following are the plants that propagate via vegetative propogation :

• Sweet Potato
• Sugercane
• Banana
• Onion

2. State two Advantages of Vegetative Propagation.

The two advantages of vegetative propagation are:

• Multiple plants can be produced in bulk that are identical to the parent plant.
• The time of cultivation is reduced as compared to the plants being grown from seeds.

3. State two Disadvantages of Vegetative Propagation.

Two disadvantages of vegetative propagation are:

• New varieties of plants cannot be prouced using this technique.
• They are highly disease prone as they are dependent on the parent plant for the gene pool.

4. Define the term ‘Vegetative Propagation’.

Vegetative propagation is the technique to grow plants from other vegetative parts of the plants and not the reproductive parts. These vegetative parts include leaves, roots, and stem.

5. What are the two types of Vegetative Propagation?

The two types of Vegetative Propagation are:-

• Natural Vegetative Propagation
• Artificial Vegetative Propagation