Vegetative propagation and methods of vegetative propagation

Vegetative Propagation :- vegetative propagation involves production of new individuals from some vegetative plant propagules such as buds, tubers, rhizomes etc. Every part of the plants body take part in vegetative propagation such as roots, stem, leaves and buds . Examples - i)potato tubers possess buds which grow into new plants very ii) Adventitious buds of Bryophyllum leaves grow to form new plants Methods of vegetative propagation:- It has been further divided into two types:- a) Natural b) Artificial

Here we only discuss about natural vegetative propagation. 1. NATURAL VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION:- It takes place naturally by following methods. i) Roots ii)underground stems iii) creeping stems iv) aerial stem v)leaves vi) bulbils vii)turions i) ROOTS:- modified tuberous roots can be propagated vegetatively when planted in soil. The buds presents on the roots grow in leafy shoots also (known as slips) above ground and adventitious roots at their base. e.g sweet potato, Dahlia. Adventitios buds develop on the ordinary roots which grow to form new plant e.f populas, guava, Dalbergia sissoo.

ii) Underground stems: underground stems such as suckers, rhizomes, corms, bulbs, and tubers possess buds which grow into new plants.

a) Suckers- These arise from the base of erect shoot, grow horizontally in the soil and then come out to form new aerial shoots. These shoots become independent plants when sucker break away from the parent plant. e.g Mint, Chrysanthemum (dhania). b) Rhizomes:- these serves as means of vegetative propagation by perenating under unfavorable conditions and producing new aerial shoots during the favourable conditions. E.g ginger, turmeric water hyacinthetc. A single plant of water hyacinth produce more then 65000 plants in one growing season of about 8 months. c) Corms:- These are highly condensed and specialised underground stems which bear many buds. they perennate the unfavorable conditions and produce new plants under favourable conditions, e.g Banana, crocus etc. d) Bulbs:- These serve as means of vegetative propagation by producing new plants when sown in the soil. E.g Onion, garlic,lilies etc. e)Tubers :- These are modified underground stem branches having several buds. Each eye of the potato is a bud which grow into a new potato plants when planted with a portion of the swollen tubers.The potato crop is raised by tubers not with seeds. potatos have eyes known as nodes or bud of the potato.

iii) Creeping stems :- these are of 3 types- Runners, stolons, offsets

a) Runners:- These are creeping modified stems which produce adventitiuos roots at nodes . Each node give rise to aerial shoot which become a new plant E.g Cynodon(doob grass), Oxalis( wood sorrel) etc. b) stolons :- These are arched runners which cross over small obstacles and develop small plantlets at their nodes .E.g vallisneria, strawberry c) Offsets:- These are one internode long runners which tuft of leaves at the apex , E.g Pistia(water lettuce). iv) Aerial Stem:- These develop new plants when stem segment fall on ground and act as means of vegetative propagation. E.g Opuntia v)Leaves:- Some plants develop adventitious buds on their their leaves which get separated and develop new plants. e.g Bryophyllum. But some get injured or detached and placed in moist soil , deveolpbuds and grow in new plant. e.g Begonia, kalanchoe.

vi) Bulbils:- These are fleshy buds produced in the axils of foliage leaves in place of axillary buds. They grow to form new plants when shed and falls on the ground e.g lily. Pineapple Dioscorea, Agava sp. etc.

vii) Turions:- These are special type of fleshy buds that develop in aquatic plants for vegetative propagation. e.g Utricularia, potamogeton etc.