Summary
Contents
Many plants reproduce asexually as well as sexually. In asexual reproduction, part of the parent plant is used to generate a new plant. Grafting, layering, and micropropagation are some methods used for artificial asexual reproduction. The new plant is genetically identical to the parent plant from which the stock has been taken. Asexually reproducing plants thrive well in stable environments.
Plants have different life spans, dependent on species, genotype, and environmental conditions. Parts of the plant, such as regions containing meristematic tissue, continue to grow, while other parts experience programmed cell death. Leaves that are no longer photosynthetically active are shed from the plant as part of senescence, and the nutrients from these leaves are recycled by the plant. Other factors, including the presence of hormones, are known to play a role in delaying senescence.
Glossary
apomixis
process by which seeds are produced without fertilization of sperm and egg
cutting
method of asexual reproduction where a portion of the stem contains notes and internodes is placed in moist soil and allowed to root
grafting
method of asexual reproduction where the stem from one plant species is spliced to a different plant
layering
method of propagating plants by bending a stem under the soil
micropropagation
propagation of desirable plants from a plant part; carried out in a laboratory
monocarpic
plants that flower once in their lifetime
polycarpic
plants that flower several times in their lifetime
scion
the part of a plant that is grafted onto the root stock of another plant
senescence
process that describes aging in plant tissues