PROPAGATION OF PLANTS

Multiplication of plants is termed as propagation

I n nature, plants multiply naturally to perpetuate themselves
The art of propagation is as old as civilization of human being
The history of civilization began with the propagation and growing of plants
I n carrier days, man used to grow plants to get flowers, fruits, fuel, clothing and shelter
Plants propagation was in practice in pre-historic period
Since the time of Rigveda (1400 B.C.), plant propagation has been one of the fundamental
agricultural operations
However, the propagation process has got commercial popularity only recently
Now-a-days, propagation practice has been totally modernized
Propagation practices have advanced from field to in-vitro
Starting from scion stick of 15 to 20 cm length, the plants are multiplied even using cell, tissue
and embryo
I n modern horticulture trade, plant propagation is a soaring business
I t is highly profitable, employment generative, recreative and creative business
Root cutting
T h e plants capable sucker are good for root cutting
of producing
It is a simple & cheap method of vegetative propagation in species, which difficult to propagate with other methods
Blackberry and raspberry are commercially propagated by root cutting
Fruit plants like kiwifruit, breadfruit, fig, rose, mulberry apple, pear, peach, cherry, persimmon, guava
and bael are also propagated by root cutting
F o r preparation of root cuttings, roots, which are of 1 cm thickness and 10 to 15 cm long cuttings are
selected for propagation and best time for taking root cutting is late winter or early spring, when the roots
are well supplied with stored food materials but before the new growth starts
I n temperate fruits, the root cuttings are prepared during December and kept in warm place in moss
grass or wet sand for callusing and are then transplanted during February March in the open beds
-

The prepared cutting is placed in sphagnum grass or molst sand medlum for callusing which glves better rooting
The cuttings can also be planted in the field directly with necessary hormonal treatment
For sub-tropical plants, cutting is prepared during rainy season
While preparing cuttings, slanting cut is prepared on proximal end and round cutting is preparedat
distal end of root
The proximal end should always be kept up, while planting, insert the cuttings vertically so that the top is
above the soil level but in sweet potato, horizontal planting gives satisfactory results
From adventitious buds on root cuttings shoot emerge and from cambium tissues roots emerge out
AKhlesh Kumar Pal
Leaf cutting
Leaf cutting is successful in propagation of ornamental plants
Mostly succulent plants having thick & leathery leaves have capacity to produce new plants
from their leaves and such type plants are propagated through leaf cutting
I n these species, leaf blade or leaf sections are used for further multiplication and roots develop
on the leaf blade or leaf section
Begonia, sansevieria and crassula are propagated through leaf cutting
The leaf is separated from mother plant and planted in suitable medium where it gives out roots
and generates complete plant
a

Some greenhouse plants can be propagated by means of various types of leaf cuttings
I n leaf cuttings, the formation of root and shoot is essential to get a complete plant
Leaf cuttings should be made from fully expanded recently mature leaves and old leaves may be
avoided
Leafy cuttings require environmental conditions similar to herbaceous cuttings but for high
success with leaf cuttings, relative
humidity should be a little high
I n variegated sansevieria, the new plants don't come true to type if propagated by leaf cuttings

Akalesnikumar Pal
 The different types of leaf cuttings used for propagation are leaf petiole cuttings, leaf sections
and leaf slash
In leaf petiole used for propagation because it is an easy
cutting, complete leaf with its stalk is
and simple method of plant propagation but plants produced by this method are very few
(Saintpaulia and Kalanchoe)
In leaf sections, a section of the leaves about 1-10 cm long is cut at right angles to the veins and
planted in the rooting medium by maintaining the polarity (Sansevieria)
Leaf slashing is commonly used in plants having capacity to regenerate new plants from the leaf veins, in
this method, the cut leaf is placed flat on the medium and the leaf is pinned down with a thin wire
The new root and shoot system develops on each cut vein and it is commonly followed in
Begonia
Leaf bud cuttings
Propagation through leaf bud cuttings is partially useful in species where leaves develop root
system but die because of non-development of shoot system
Leaf bud cuttings are particularly useful when planting material is scarce because each node in
leaf can be used as cutting
Leaf bud cutting should preferably be prepared during growing season because
Aknilesh KumarPal
 2 cm

2 cm

Vegetative Propagation Saturday. 23 June 2018

Learning guestlon: What are the different ways that plants reproduce
asexually?

Notch Germinetin
rof
cale leaf

Shoot
Scar of stem

Adventitious
roots

es
AKniiesnkuimaici
 Notch
1,JAA FBlade
Shoot 5. ShootPetiole
Adventitious
roots
2. Callus
Bud 3. Roots
4. CK

Leaf Cuttings New plant

Leaf Blade
primary veins are cul
-
Icaf cutting is laid flat on
growing mcdia Marginal notches
new plants ane forned at
each point where the veins
are cut

Ex-rex begonia
Fig. 9 Vegetative propagation by leaves in Bryophyllum

tes
AKIiesituimaiai