PROPAGATION

Sexual Recombination of genetic materials to

form a unique genetic individual

Asexual Use of vegetative organs to create

plantlets genetically identical to the parent plant

ASEXUAL PROPAGATION

Asexual Propagation

ADVANTAGES

Plants are uniform Quick establishment of plants Only means of propagation in certain

speices Seedborne diseases avoided Less expensive Heterozygous material may be

propageted without genetic alteration

DISADVANTAGES

Systemic viral infection can spread to all plants

Planting materials are bulky Storage of asexual material is

cumbersome and usually short term Genetically identical and thus subject to

the same hazards Mechanized propagation in some cases

not practical

ASEXUAL PROPAGATION

Divisions Cuttings Layers Grafting/budding Tissue Culture

DIVISION - SEPARATION

Remove loose soil

Remove dead leaves and stems

Note root system of plant Spreading Clumping Rhizome Tuber

SEPARATION

Spreading root systems Many slender roots from center of plant Plants can be invasive Cut with shears or pulled apart by hand Asters, bee balm, lamb’s ear, purple

coneflower, many common perennials

SEPARATION

Clumping root systems Many fleshy roots from crown of plant Can crowd own centers Keep one bud/eye with each division Astilbes, hostas, daylilies, orn. Grasses

SEPARATION

Rhizome division ‘Horizontal stems’, Primarily bearded

iris Divide after flowering through fall Cut and discard rhizome sections > 1

year Inspect for disease and insect

damage Cut back leaves to ‘fans’ Replant with top of rhizome above

soil level

SEPARATION

Tuberous roots Enlarged roots for storage Divide with sharp knife Each root must contain stem tissue

and bud Can be replanted or stored Dahlias

CUTTINGS

Vegetative plant part which is severed from the parent plant in order to regenerate itself, thereby forming a whole new plant

Leaves, stems, roots

CUTTINGS

Herbaceous: succulent, soft materials (green)

Softwood: soft, succulent growth of woody plants

Semi-Hardwood: partially mature wood of the current season’s growth Mid summer, leaves present

CUTTINGS

Hardwood: dormant, mature stems Taken before spring growth 6-12 inches Grapes, roses, honeysuckle

Conifer: Obtained in early spring Prefer cool and humid conditions Juniper, spruce

CUTTINGS: SHOOT

Axillary Bud

Terminal Bud

Stem

Leaf Adventitious Roots

CUTTINGS

Cane/Shoot Cutting Leaves Stems Buds

CUTTINGS: LEAF

Axillary Bud

Terminal Bud

Stem

Leaf

New bud

LEAF CUTTINGS

Full or partial leaf cuttings African violet, sansivieria

Leaf-vein cuttings Plantlets

Leaf-bud cuttings Rhododendron

Leaf Cutting Leaf only

CUTTINGS: LEAF-VEIN

CUTTINGS: HARDWOOD

CUTTINGS: HARDWOOD

Cut end of branch

Cambium exposed

LAYERING

Stems still attached to their parent plant may form roots where they touch a rooting medium

Severed from the parent plant, the rooted plant becomes a new plant

LAYERING METHODS

Tip Layer Simple Layer Compound Layer

Stooling Air Layer Stolons

AIR LAYER

Useful procedure on leggy plants

Wound stem and cover with moist medium to induce rooting