plant cloning

Question 1

What is vegetative propagation?

Answer 1

the production of plant clones from non reproductive tissues

Question 2

What are the 4 types of plants where vegetative propagation occurs?

Answer 2

rhizomes, bulbs, tubers and runners

Question 3

What is the process of taking a cutting from a plant?

Answer 3

make oblique cut through node, remove leaves on lower part of cutting, dip end in rooting hormone, plant cutting in pot with suitable growing medium, place bag over plant and pot to create warm and moist conditions

Question 4

What are the advantages of growing from a cutting?

Answer 4

growth is much faster, desirable characteristics are passed from parent plant to clone

Question 5

What are the disadvantages of cuttings?

Answer 5

no genetic variation, damages parent plant - possibility of killing it

Question 6

What is micropropagation?

Answer 6

the process of making large numbers of genetically identical offspring from a single parent plant using tissue culture

Question 7

Why would tissue culture be used over other methods such as cuttings?

Answer 7

1. plant doesn’t rapidly reproduce
2. doesn’t respond to natural cloning
3. very rare / endangered
4. offspring have to be pathogen free (used for food)

Question 8

Explain the process of tissue culture?

Answer 8

take a small sample of meristem tissue from parent plant, sample is sterilised using sodium dichloroiscocyanurate, the sample is called the explant, explant is placed in sterile culture medium, cells proliferate forming a mass of identical cells called a callus, callus is divided up and individual clumps/cells are placed in another culture medium which causes development of tiny identical plantlets, plantlets are potted in compost where they grow into small plants

Question 9

What are the advantages of tissue culture?

Answer 9

desirable characteristics are passed on, plants can reproduce in any season due to controlled environment, takes up less space than conventional growing, lots of plants are produced very quickly, produces disease free plants

Question 10

What are the reasons against micropropagation?

Answer 10

undesirable characteristics are passed on, produces a monoculture with no genetic variation, production costs are high, if source plant has virus then all clones have virus, large numbers of plants can be lost during the process