Asexual Reproduction

Unlike most animals, plants can reproduce asexually, producing offspring that are genetically identical to the parent plant. Asexual reproduction in plants, also called vegetative reproduction, takes place without the fusion of sex gametes or meiosis. 

Plants may reproduce asexually through natural mechanisms developed by plants or artificial mechanisms developed by breeders. 

Vegetative propagation is a form of asexual reproduction in which detached root or stem fragments can develop into an entire new plant. For example, the ‘eye’, or bud, of a potato can be planted to regenerate a whole new plant. 

Dandelions use another method of asexual reproduction in which they produce seeds without pollination or fertilization—a process called apomixis. Apomixis allows certain hybrid plants to overcome sterility and pass their intact genome to their offspring.

Breeders use a variety of artificial methods of asexual reproduction, such as grafting, cutting, layering, and micropropagation. These methods are sometimes used by plant breeders to generate novel plant varieties. 

Grafting is a technique commonly used to grow grapes that combines favorable traits from different varieties. The upper portion of one plant is combined with the lower portion of another plant, forming a graft. The upper part of the graft is called the scion, while the lower part is called the rootstock. For example, a scion with large fruit may be grafted onto a disease-resistant rootstock, producing disease-resistant progeny with large fruit.  

In conditions unfavorable for sexual reproduction, asexual reproduction allows species to survive and propagate. Asexual reproduction is particularly advantageous for plants that are well-adapted to their environments, as their genetically-identical offspring can help establish a flourishing colony. 

However, asexual reproduction is sometimes undesirable, as it can severely limit the ability of plants to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Without the introduction of genetic variability, the offspring are as vulnerable to threats and diseases as the parent plant. Genetic uniformity can even put asexually-reproducing plants at risk of extinction.