Biotechnology - Plant Cloning

Question 1

Define vegetative propagation

Answer 1

Production of plant clones from non-reproductice tissue

Question 2

How do you make a clone from a cutting?

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Answer 2

1) Use a sterile scalpel to take a cutting from a plant
2) Dip cutting into rooting powder (auxins)
3) Plant cutting placed into a pot with growth medium
4) Cover with plastic bag trapping moisture and heat
5) Transplant into soil after roots form

Question 3

How do you make a clone from tissue culture?

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Answer 3

1) Cut off stem cells from root or stem tips using sterile scalpel
2) Steralise cells removing competing microbes
3) Place cells into growth medium (high in glucose and auxins) under sterile conditions
4) Transplant into plant pot with soil once the plant grows roots

Question 4

Uses of tissue culture

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Answer 4

Clone endangered infertile plants

Grow whole plants from genetically engineered cells

Question 5

Define micropropagation

Answer 5

When tissue culture is used to produce lots of cloned plants quickly

Question 6

Name 4 pro’s of artificial plant cloning

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Answer 6

▪ Produces plant’s quickly
▪ Desirable characterisitics always passed onto clones
▪ Plants can be cloned in any season all year round
▪ Less space is used by tissue culture compared to seed growth

Question 7

Name 4 con’s of artificial cloning

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Answer 7

▪ equipment and trained staff can be expensive
▪ no genetic variability which increases the risk cloned population is susceptible to the same disease
▪ contamination of tissue culture can lead to complete loss of clones
▪ undesirable characteristics always passed onto clones (large seeds)