What is Vegetative Propagation?-Definition, Types, And Examples

Vegetative propagation is a way of asexual reproduction in plants. It happens in vegetative parts of plants such as leaves, roots, and stems. It can occur by using the fragmentation and regeneration method. It may develop new organisms by regeneration and fragmentation of the vegetative parts of the plant body.

Regeneration occurs through mitosis. On the other hand, flowering plants reproduce sexually, and meiosis occurs in megaspore mother cells to produce new offspring.

Types and Examples of Vegetative Propagation

There are two types of vegetative propagation based on human interference.

1. Natural vegetative propagation
2. Artificial vegetative propagation

Natural Vegetative Propagation

Natural vegetative propagation occurs when plants grow and naturally develop new plants without any human intervention. It can be implemented by the growth of adventitious roots. Thus, new plants may come out from the roots, stems, and leaves of the parent plant body.

The vegetative plant structures that arise from the stem are known as rhizomes, tubers, runners, bulbs, etc. The plants propagate vegetatively through the following vegetative parts.

Vegetative Propagation through Stem

Runners grow horizontally above the ground. The buds are formed at the nodes of the runners.

Vegetative Propagation through Roots

New plants grow out of swollen roots which are known as tubers. Buds are formed at the base of the stem. These tubers grow into a new plant.

Vegetative Propagation through Leaves

Leaves of a few plants get separated from the parent plant and develop into new plants.

Vegetative Propagation through Bulbs

An underground stem is present in bulbs, leaves are attached to that stem. These leaves can store food. An apical bud is present in the center of the bulb, that produces leaves and flowers. The lateral bud grows into a shoot.

Artificial Vegetative Propagation

A type of vegetative reproduction which is carried out by humans. Here are some most common types of Artificial Vegetative Propagation.

Artificial Vegetative Propagation through Cutting

A stem or leaf of a plant is cut and grown in soil. Sometimes cuttings are treated with hormones to increase root growth. The new plant is formed from the adventitious roots.

Artificial Vegetative Propagation through Grafting

A cutting from a particular plant is cut and attached to the stem of another plant that is grown in the ground. The tissues of the graft incorporate with the tissues of the rooted plant and develop as a single plant over time.

Artificial Vegetative Propagation through Layering

In this, the stem of the plant is bent to the ground and covered with soil. Adventitious roots arise from the plant parts covered with the soil. This attached stem with developing roots is known as a layer.

Artificial Vegetative Propagation through Tissue Culture

In this plant cells or tissues from different parts of plants are cultured artificially in laboratories. This strategy is used in increasing the number of rare and endangered plant species that are unable to grow under natural circumstances.

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