Vegetative Reproduction in Plants: Methods and Applications

Vegetative Reproduction in Plants

Vegetative reproduction is a form of asexual reproduction in plants. A part of a single individual, a cell (e.g., spores), or a group of cells (fragmentation) develops into a duplicate of the progenitor. The offspring are identical to each other and identical to their preserved vegetative progenitor. Plants always have embryonic tissues, the meristems, which consist of totipotent cells. Therefore, they have a great capacity for regeneration, and asexual reproduction is common.

Structures Involved in Asexual Reproduction

• Stolons: Stems that run parallel to the ground, which occasionally produce roots and new stems and leaves. Example: Strawberries.
• Rhizomes: Underground stems that occasionally produce roots and new shoots that come to the surface. Example: Grass, reeds, ferns.
• Tubers: Underground stems with buds and reserves, each of which may cause new roots and stems. Example: Potato.
• Bulbs: Underground stems that are disc-shaped with fleshy leaves with reserves. They have buds that can give rise to a new plant. Example: Onion.

Application of Vegetative Reproduction in Agriculture

Benefits:

• Individuals are identical to the progenitor.
• Formation of descendants in less time.
• Other applications include cuttings and grafting.

Alternation of Generations

All plants have a life cycle with alternation of generations or stages. There are haploid and diploid individuals. The diploid phase is the sporophytic phase. The sporophyte produces spores through meiosis. The spores cause a haploid adult called a gametophyte, which will form haploid gametes. After fertilization, a diploid zygote is produced, which gives rise to a new sporophytic phase.

Sexual Reproduction

Plant species can be:

• Unisexual or dioecious: There are two types of individuals of different sexes. (Example: Palm, kiwi).
• Monoecious or hermaphrodite: Both sexes are present in the individual, and it produces two types of gametes. In this case, self-fertilization is typically not provided (organs mature at different times).
  • Monoecious plants have male flowers and female flowers (Example: Pine, oak).
  • Hermaphrodite plants have hermaphrodite flowers (Example: Almond, rose, most plants).