Question

Give any two advantages and disadvantages of vegetative propagation.

Answer 1

Advantages of vegetative propagation:

1. It is a cheaper, rapid and convenient method for growing plants.
2. Plants such as banana, figs, and Rose do not form viable seeds. These plants can be grown by vegetative propagation.
3. Desirable characteristics of fruits and flowers can be maintained indefinitely.
4. Survival rate of new plants is 100%, whereas it is up to 10% when raised by seeds.
5. By vegetative propagation, plants can be introduced in new areas.

Disadvantages of vegetative propagation:

1. It does not produce new varieties.
2. Plants lose vigour when grown repeatedly.
3. It leads to overcrowding around the main plant leading to competition for food and space.
4. Undesirable characters are transmitted from one generation to another.
5. Diseases contacted by the parent plant are transmitted to daughter plants.