Resource Book on Horticulture Nursery Management

4. In case of sexually propagated plants, there is no assurance about genetic purity of
the offspring or seedling.
(B) Asexual Plant Propagation
In this method the vegetative parts of plants such as leaves, stems, and roots are used
for propagation. These plants may be taken from single mother plant or other plants. It is
also called as vegetative method of plant propagation.
Advantages of Asexual Plant Propagation
1. Plants propagated by this method are true to type and uniform in growth, yield
and quality of fruits.
2. Some fruits such as Banana, Pineapple, seedless Guava and seedless Grape
varieties can only be propagated through vegetative means.
3. Vegetatively propagated fruit tree comes into bearing earlier than seed propagated
plants and have assured genetic configurations.
4. Plants produced are of manageable size and have uniform fruits making
harvesting easy.
5. Some diseases can be avoided in susceptible varieties by grafting them on a
resistant rootstock e.g. Use of „Rangpur Lime‟ as rootstock for budding Mandarin
Orange to avoid gummosis disease.
6. Better rootstock can be conveniently combined with the method to suit the
climatic requirement of the area.
7. Repairing of damaged portion of plant is possible by asexual methods through
bridge grafting or buttressing. These methods can be used for healing of the
wounds caused by rodents.
8. Inferior quality crown of the existing plants can be improved. For example, side
grafting and crown grafting in mango.
9. It is possible to grow multiple varieties on the same plant. One can grow
numerous varieties of Roses and Mangoes on different branches of the same
stock.
10. Number of plant per hectare is more due to its small canopy and restricted growth.
11. Vegetative propagation helps in rapid multiplication with modern techniques like
tissue culture and other micro propagation techniques.
Disadvantages of Asexual Plant Propagation
1. It is difficult and more expensive method of propagation in some plants like
papaya, coconut, etc.
2. Plants are generally not so vigorous and long lived as seedling plants and they
require special skill for propagation.
3. Hybridization in these plants is not possible because there is no variation in the
progeny; these methods are not suitable for development of a new variety.
4. Plants propagated by this method are not hardy and fall easy prey to adverse
conditions of soil, climate, diseases, pests, etc.
<strong>Resource</strong> <strong>Book</strong> on Horticulture Nursery Management : 18