From Seed to Seed:
Plant Science for K-8 Educators
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
From Seed to Seed: |
|
|
Because they are rooted in one place and often rely on insect pollinators,
plants have limitations when it comes to finding suitable "mates" for sexual
reproduction. As a result, some plants have evolved other, non-sexual, ways
of reproducing. In a nutshell, asexual propagation is simply any method of producing offsp  ring
that does not involve the union of gametes. (To help distinguish the terms
sexual reproduction and asexual reproduction, from now on we will use the
term asexual propagation in place of asexual reproduction.) Asexual propagation
can be as familiar and simple as rooting an ivy cutting in a jar of water
on the windowsill, or as mysterious as tissue culture, a process that takes
place only in a sterile laboratory environment. In essence, however, these two extreme examples produce similar results. One of the most important things to remember about asexual propagation is that it produces offspring that are genetically identical to the parent plant.
Let's look at the structures involved, as well as the importance of asexual propagation to plant populations in nature. |
||||
Made possible by a grant from Oracle Corp. Copyright 2001, National Gardening
Association, Inc. For questions regarding this web site, contact Webmaster |
