Chapter 1.

Plant Propagation
Plant propagation:
The process of increasing the number of plants
Two primary forms of plant propagation:
1. Sexual plant propagation:
(The production of viable seeds)
2. Asexual plant propagation:
(The use of vegetative plant parts)

Plant propagation
by Tissue Culture:
Developing new plants from tissue cultures in a
laboratory (Plant tissue culture)
Plant propagation:
1. Sexual plant propagation:
 Use seeds to produce new plants;
 A nature’s way to obtain many plants economically.

2. Asexual plant propagation:

 Uses vegetative parts of the plant to make a clone.
 An exact genetic copy of the parent plant.
 Allows for plants to be grown to a size suitable for
transplanting in less time than from seed.
 Some plants produce seeds (sterile or poor viability):
sexual propagation difficult or impossible.
 Include taking cuttings, layering, division, grafting,
budding
Structure of stem
Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
a. Cuttings: Parts of plants are removed from a parent
plant and rooted to form new plants.

http://extension.missouri.edu
Leaf cutting Stem-tip cutting Leaf and bud Stem cutting
(with at least one cutting (with dormant buds,
fully expanded leaf) (lack the apical without leaves
meristem) at 21 – 27oC)

When seeding, cutting, grafting … are impractical or ineffective, use taking layering.
Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
a. Cuttings:
• Many kinds of plants are asexually reproduced
from plant fragments called cuttings
• A callus is a mass of dividing undifferentiated cells
that forms where a stem is cut and produces
adventitious roots
Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
b. Layering:

http://extension.missouri.edu
Simple layering. (A) branch. Compound layering
(B) wounded area. (C) staked tip. or Serpentine layering
Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
b. Layering:

wounded cover the

area ball of
moist moss
with plastic
wrap

Air layering
(take a month or more for roots to appear)
http://extension.missouri.edu/p/MG3
Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
b. Layering:
• Humans have devised methods for asexual
propagation of angiosperms
• Most methods are based on the ability of plants to
form adventitious roots or shoots
Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
c. Division :

Crown division

http://extension.missouri.edu/p/MG3
Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
d. Grafting:
• A twig or bud can be grafted onto a plant of a
closely related species or variety
• The stock provides the root system
• The scion is grafted onto the stock
Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
d. Grafting:

Whip or bench graft. Preparing the stock and scion for

a whip graft.
http://extension.missouri.edu/p/MG3
Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
d. Grafting:

http://extension.missouri.edu/p/MG3

Cutting the stock for Fitting the stock and the Wrapping to protect
a whip graft scion for a whip graft the whip graft
Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
d. Grafting:

Preparing the stock

for a cleft graft Preparing the scion
for a cleft graft
Cuts on both sides of the scion
Cleft graft for a cleft graft form a wedge
 Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
d. Grafting:

Inserting the scion for a A successful cleft graft depends on good Waxing a
cleft graft cambial contact cleft graft
Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
d. Grafting:

Bark or veneer graft Preparing the stock Preparing the

for a bark graft scion for a bark
graft
Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
d. Grafting:

Preparing
Preparing the Inserting the Cutting the
the scion for
stock for a scion in a extra graft in
a side graft.
side graft. side graft a side graft
Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
d. Grafting:

Potato & Tomato

Tomato & Potato Grafting
TomTato

500 very sweet cherry

tomatoes off one plant
and four pounds of
potatoes a few weeks
later

British seed company Thompson & Morgan Video

Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
e. Budding:

Obtaining a budstick for T-budding

Preparing the stock Inserting the bud Wrapping the bud for
for T-budding for a T-bud graft a T-bud graft
Plant propagation:
2. Asexual plant propagation:
e. Budding:

Patch budding
Plant Propagation
by Tissue culture:

Developing new plants from tissue cultures in a

laboratory or (In vitro)