Q: How do plants reproduce sexually?
A: Sexual reproduction in plants involves the production of seeds through flowers, requiring the contribution of genetic material from two parent plants.
Q: What is asexual reproduction in plants?
A: Asexual reproduction in plants involves the generation of new individuals without the involvement of seeds, using only one parent plant.
Q: Give examples of natural methods of asexual reproduction in plants.
A: Examples include reproduction through roots (e.g., sweet potato), underground stems (e.g., ginger), sub-aerial stems (e.g., runners like in strawberries), suckers (e.g., chrysanthemum), and leaves (e.g., Bryophyllum).
Q: What is tissue culture in plants?
A: Tissue culture is a modern method of plant breeding where new plants are grown from a single cell, allowing for the rapid production of multiple copies in a laboratory setting.
Q: Why is asexual reproduction advantageous in plants?
A: Asexual reproduction in plants offers advantages such as the rapid production of a large number of identical offspring within a short time, ease of cultivation, and obtaining exact copies of the parent plant.
Q: What is grafting in plant propagation?
A: Grafting involves joining healthy parts of two different plants (stock and scion), resulting in a plant with features from both. It is commonly used in propagating trees and shrubs.
Q: How is layering used in plant propagation?
A: Layering involves bending a flexible branch or stem still attached to the parent plant into contact with moist soil, encouraging it to grow roots. Once roots emerge, they are separated, creating new plants.
Q: What is the purpose of tissue culture in plant breeding?
A: Tissue culture facilitates the rapid production of a large number of plants from a single cell, allowing for controlled cultivation of rare and endangered plant species and other desirable traits.
