Asexual Plant Propagation

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Asexual Plant Propagation

• This presentation is from Virginia Tech and it
  has not been edited by the Georgia Curriculum
  Office.

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Plant Propagation

• The reproduction of new plants from seeds or
  vegetative parts of a plant.

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Asexual Propagation

• The reproduction of new plants from the stems,
  leaves, or roots of a parent plant.
• No seeds are used, just portions of the parent
  plant which are placed in soil

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Benefits of Asexual Propagation

• Produce plants faster
• Disease free stock
• Works when seeds are hard to germinate
• Plants produced are genetically identical to the
  parent plant Clones
• Plants with or without reproductive parts can be
  produced
• Less Expensive in some cases

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Where Can Cuttings be Taken From?

• Roots
• Stems
• Leaves

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Methods of Asexual Propagation

• Stem Cuttings
• Leaf Cuttings
• Leaf Bud Cuttings
• Root Cuttings

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Stem Cuttings

• Softwood Cuttings
• Herbaceous Cuttings
• Semi-hardwood Cuttings
• Hardwood Cuttings
• Conifer Cuttings
• See Figure 1 on handout

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Softwood Cuttings

• Taken from soft, new spring growth of woody
  plants
• Root easy but require more attention
• Usually 3 to 5 inches in length
• 2 or 3 nodes
• Cut at 45 degree angles ¼ inch below a node
• 1/3 of lower leaves are removed

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Herbaceous Cuttings

• Also considered softwood cuttings
• Numerous succulent greenhouse plants
• 3 to 4 inches long
• Contain several leaves
• Root easily

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Semi-hardwood Cuttings

• Woody, broad leaved plants
• Taken in the summer from new shoots
• 3 to 6 inches in length
• Handled the same as softwood cuttings

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Hardwood Cuttings

• Prepared during the dormant season
• Deciduous or evergreen plants
• 6 to 8 inches in length
• Taken from year old wood
• Form callus tissue during the winter
• Develop roots in the spring

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Conifer Cuttings

• Early winter
• Narrowleaf evergreens
• May take several months to produce roots

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Leaf Cuttings

• Consist of a leaf blade or leaf blade with
  petiole
• Used when plant material is scarce
• Used when a large number of new plants are needed
• Houseplants or foliage plants

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Leaf Cuttings Cont.

• Leaf blades can be cut into pieces and inserted
  into medium
• See Figure 2 in handout
• Some leaves can be cut on the primary veins and
  laid flat on top of the growing medium.
• See Figure 3 in handout
• Leaf and petiole cuttings are place petiole down
  the the medium
• See Figure 4 in handout

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Leaf Bud Cuttings

• Consist of a leaf, petiole, and a short piece of
  stem with lateral bud.
• Must have well developed buds, and healthy,
  actively growing leaves.
• Insert in medium with the lateral bud just below
  the surface
• See Figure 5 in handout

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Root Cuttings

• Made from root pieces of young plants
• During late winter or early spring
• Roots are dug, cleaned, and treated with
  fungicide
• 2 to 6 inches in length
• Placed horizontally or vertically
• Quite laborious

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Rooting Hormones

• Material that promote the development of roots
• Applied to the bases of the cuttings
• Powders or Solutions
• Do not use too much, it may cause the stem to rot

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Root-Inducing Environment

• High humidity to reduce water loss
• Indirect sunlight
• Growing medium

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Types of Growing Medium

• Peat moss perlite mixture
• 1 to 1 ratio will hold moisture and provide
  aeration
• Vermiculite
• Sterile and has high moisture retention
• Sand
• Provides aeration but does not retain moisture
• Sand peat moss mixture
• 1 to 1 or 2 to 1 ratio, increases moisture
  retention

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Summary

• Asexual propagation is the propagation of plants
  from stems, leaves, or roots of a parent plant
• Cuttings are the most popular form
• Cuttings are often treated with a rooting hormone
• The environment is very important for successful
  rooting