Advantages of vegetative reproduction
Vegetative reproduction
This process takes place in certain plants which do not produce seeds or whose seeds fail to germinate. Such reproduction does not involve sex organs; hence it is called vegetative reproduction. In this process, a new plant is produced from some other part of the plant, such as the stem or the leaves. The following are some forms of vegetative reproduction.
By underground stems the underground stems of some plants produce buds, which h=grow into new plants. For example, potato plants have modified stems called tubers, which grow underground. You may have noticed some marks on potatoes. These marks are called `eyes’, are actually buds. Plants like onion. Lilly, garlic and tuberose reproduce through buds formed on their bulbs, another type of underground stem. Corms, found in gladiolus and saffron, are thick, round stems that grow underground and produce buds. Similarly, new plants grow from the buds formed on rhizomes, which are branched underground stems found in plants like ginger and turmeric.
By sub aerial stems in some plants, a branch arises from the base of the stem and grows horizontally, just n the surface of the ground or slightly below it. The nodes of such sub Arial stems give rise to one or many buds and tufts of root hairs, which drop into he soil and grow into independent plants. Indian pennywort wood sorrel, mint, chrysanthemum and wild strawberry area few examples of plants which reproduce this way. Banana also produces a sort and stout sub aerial stem which is capable of vegetative reproduction.
By leaf buds plants like Bryophyllum and kalanchoe produce buds at the margin of their leaves. These buds grow into independent plants when the leaf falls. They may also grow before the leaf falls, deriving their nutrition from the leaf, and then separate and grow as new plants when the leaf falls.
Advantages of vegetative reproduction
a) Vegetative reproduction is responsible for the continuation of plant species which cannot produce seeds. Some examples are banana, grape, ginger and taro.
b) A plant capable of this mode of reproduction can survive unfavorable conditions with the help of its underground, sub aerial and aerial parts.
c) Such plants attain maturity earlier than those produced from seeds.
d) As the features and qualities of the offspring are identical to those of the parent, vegetative reproduction can be used to propagate, or cultivate, plants with certain desirable features. Dahlia, gladiolus and lily are some plants grown this way n gardens and nurseries the world over. Potato, onion, ginger and sugar cane are also cultivated this way. The buds on leaves and underground stems are carefully separated from the parent plant and grown as individual plants. The same can be done with the buds of sub aerial stems.
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