Question

What are the 4 main types of asexual reproduction?

Answer 1

Asexual reproduction:

1. It is a type of reproduction that is more common in lower organisms.
2. It occurs without the formation of gametes and hence without fertilization.
3. The progeny produced is the exact copy of the parent both morphologically and genetically hence these progenies are known as clones.

Four main types of asexual reproduction:

• Fragmentation:

It is a method of reproduction in which the body of an organism (for example Planaria) is broken down into fragments and each fragment is capable of producing a whole organism.

• Binary fission:

1. It is a process of asexual reproduction in which unicellular cells such as cells of bacteria, protozoans like an amoeba, etc. duplicate their genetic material and divide themselves into two daughter cells with each cell getting a copy of the parent's genome.
2. There is no spindle formation in this type of division.

• Budding:

1. It is a process by which a small protrusion is formed on the surface of the body of a cell for example yeast.
2. The nucleus divides and is transferred into that protrusion and the cell walls are laid down and the protrusion now becomes a new cell.
3. It detaches from the parent cell or remains on it.
4. The bud is much smaller in size than the parent cell.

• Spore formation:

1. It is a form of asexual reproduction in which sacs that are filled with spores are formed by an organism for example fungi.
2. These sacs then burst and release these spores that are small single cells and can be thick-walled or thin-walled.