New plants without seeds
Vegetative propagation.
A sprouting potato
A potato kept in a dark kitchen cupboard grows little shoots. If it were planted, each shoot could grow into a new plant.
What do you think this new plant grew from?
What this lesson covers
The idea
In vegetative propagation new plants arise from the vegetative (growing) parts of a plant, such as stems or leaves; it involves only one parent and so produces genetically identical individuals.
A sprouting potato
A potato kept in a dark kitchen cupboard grows little shoots. If it were planted, each shoot could grow into a new plant.
What do you think this new plant grew from?
- A growing part of the old plant, not from a seed
- A seed made by two parents
- Nothing at all
Stem, leaf or seed?
Sort each plant by the part that gives the new plant.
Growing parts make new plants
Five of the plants made a new plant from a stem or a leaf, with no seed and no second parent. This is vegetative propagation.
In vegetative propagation new plants arise from the vegetative (growing) parts of a plant, such as stems or leaves. It involves only one parent, so it produces genetically identical individuals.
Notes
Vegetative propagation: new plants arise from stems or leaves with one parent, so they are genetically identical.
Check yourself
How many parents are involved in vegetative propagation?
Which plant sprouts tiny plantlets on its leaves?
Plants produced by vegetative propagation are…
Which of these is a vegetative part used to grow a new plant?
- Two, as in sexual reproduction. Two parents contribute in sexual reproduction. Vegetative propagation involves only one parent.
- None, the plant appears from nothing. A new plant arises from a growing part, such as a stem or a leaf, of a parent plant.
- One — correct. Yes!
- Bryophyllum — correct. Yes!
- Potato. A potato sprouts new plants from its fleshy underground stem, not from leaves.
- Sugarcane. Pieces of sugarcane stem grow into new plants. Its leaves are not the source.
- a mix of characteristics from two parents. A mix from two individuals comes from sexual reproduction. Here only one parent is involved.
- genetically identical individuals — correct. Yes!
- very different from the parent. With one parent the new plants are genetically identical, not different.
- A mango seed. A seed is not a growing part such as a stem or a leaf.
- A drop of rain. Rain is not a part of a plant, so it cannot give a new plant.
- A piece of sugarcane stem — correct. Yes!