Propagation of Plants done through Leaf, Cane, and Roots
Author: Sana Shaikh
Reproduction in living beings is one of the most interesting processes that give birth to a new life. Just like humans, plants go through the process of reproduction which is termed as ‘Propagation’ in the botanical world for a better understanding. Plant propagation is defined as the growing of a new plant from an existing parent plant by using plant organs such as a leaf, cane, roots, or stems. In this article, we will get acquainted with various methods of Plant Propagation applied to these organs. Basically, there are two types of plant propagations namely Sexual Method of Reproduction and Asexual Method of reproduction.
(1) Sexual Propagation via seeds, pollination, etc
(2) Asexual Propagation via leaf, cane, root, and stems.
In this article, we are going to study asexual propagation via leaf, cane, and roots. To reproduce through these plant organs, different techniques have been used for centuries such as cutting, layering, grafting, and budding. The simplest and most effective method of Plant Propagation is through cutting which can be applied to all the propaganda of plants. Let us see each of the propaganda in order to understand the concept in depth.
Cutting:
Cutting is a simple process in which a part of the parent plant is cut out which later develops into a new sapling. It is an inexpensive and quick method of propagation. A large number of uniform plants can be produced using few parent plants. It does not involve specialized skills. The method is named after the part of the plant used for cutting, e.g., stem, root, and leaf.
Plant Propagation by Leaf:
The plants that have thick, fleshy leaves are suitable for leaf propagation. Bryophyllum, Snake Plant, etc are suitable for leaf propagation.
Method of Propagation via leaf bud:
1.Carefully choose a vegetative bud present on the notches of the Bryophyllum.
2.Select a rooting medium such as the cuttings of other plants or the one to fuse with.
3.The leaf blade then is fused with the rooting medium under favorable conditions.
The same method can be applied to other leaf cuts like leaf-petiole, leaf without a petiole, split-vein, and leaf bud cuttings. The plants that grow from leaves are Spider plants, Begonica, Radiator plants, African Violets, etc.
Plant Propagation by Cane:
Cane propagation is equivalent to Stem Propagation. It is done on plants with thick stems such as Chinese evergreen, corn plant, etc.
Method of Cane Propagation:
1. Cut a 2-3 inch longer stem section having one or two nodes on it. Nodes are the growths on the stem which bear new leaves.
2. Lay the cutting horizontally on the medium. If the medium is Soil, insert it vertically with about half of cutting below the surface of the soil and leave a bud facing upward. If the medium is another plant or cutting, lay it horizontally on the medium until the new shoot arises.
Plant Propagation by Roots
Plants with large and small roots can be propagated through a section of its root. The method has been given below for each type respectively:
Method of Propagation for plants with large roots:
1.Make a root cutting at the proximal(nearest) end of the root.
2.Make a slanted cut on the distal end of each rooting.
3.Tie the cuttings in a bundle with all the same types of ends tied together.
4.Store for three weeks in moist sawdust for sand at 4 to 10 degrees Celsius.
5. Remove them from storage and root them in well-prepared garden soil.
Method of propagation for plants with small roots:
1. Cut the roots 1 to 2-inch sections.
2. Lay the cuttings horizontally on the medium surface and cover with about ½ inch of soil or sand.
3. Place it inside a plastic bag or cover it with a pane of glass.
4. Place the set-up in the shade and remove the protective cover after new shoots appear.
The asexual method of propagation is having its own merits and demerits. The plants grown through this method are genetically identical to parents hence we can obtain n number of true-to-type plants. The method is feasible and economical which can be easily practiced by skilled and unskilled aspirants of plant propagation including children and youth. Quality yield is generated in a single turn. Maturity is uniform and hence we can fertilize and expect the results based on previous time and experience exactly. Different colors of flowers in a single rose plant and also in fruit plants such as Mango.
The demerits of the asexual method of propagation include the lack of new varieties and hybridized cross samples. In some methods, highly specialized skills are needed. The plants grown through this method are more prone to biotic and abiotic stresses and hence more vulnerable to losses.
With the advancements in the world of botany, new methods of propagation with changing mediums are coming up. Hydroponics is one of them in which water is used as the medium. As human ambitions are growing, experiments are getting conducted on the surface of the moon to propagate a plant. So, let’s hope for a greener world that will lead to more sustainable methods and awareness through nature and plant propagation.
References:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/plant-propagation
https://ncert.nic.in/vocational/pdf/kegr103.pd
http://cceoneida.com/resources/plant-propagation-by-leaf-cane-root-cuttings