Asexual Reproduction in Plants

• Plants can reproduce asexually as well as sexually
• • Asexual reproduction only involves one parent and all offspring produced are exact genetic copies of each other and the parent plant – they are clones (genetically identical)
• • Asexual reproduction in plants can occur naturally or humans cancontrol asexual reproduction in plants artificially for their own uses
• Some plants grow side branches, known as runners, that have small plantlets at their ends.
• Runners are horizontal stems that grow sideways out of the parent plant
• Once the small plantlets on the ends of runners touch the soil, these plantlets will grow roots and the new plantlets will grow and become independent from the parent plant
• Plants growing runners is a natural method of asexual reproduction
• A simple method to clone plants (mainly used by gardeners) is by taking cuttings. This is an artificial method of asexual reproduction
• • Plants cloned by taking cuttings can be produced cheaply and quickly
• • The method for taking cuttings is as follows:
  • Gardeners take cuttings from good parent plants (i.e. those that are healthiest and best-looking)
  • A section of the parent plant with a new bud is cut off
  • This cutting can either be placed into water until new roots grow or can sometimes be placed directly into soil
  • Sometimes, the stem of the cutting may first be dipped into 'rooting powder', which contains plant growth regulators(rooting hormones) that encourage new root growth
  • These cuttings are then planted and eventually grow into adult plants that are genetically identical to the original plant