Question

State three advantages and three disadvantages of vegetative reproduction

Answer 1

Advantages of Vegetative Propagation:
(i) Plants produced by vegetative reproduction are exactly similar to parental type. Thus the best varieties of potatoes, oranges, apple etc., can be preserved by vegetative reproduction without loss of their fine quality. In this way pure lines of desired types can be selected and propagated all over the world.
(ii) This is quick method and thus, by this means, flowers and fruits can be produced early.
(iii) This is more certain method of producing new plants than that of seed reproduction.
(iv) It is more economical for the plant because no energy is wasted in producing large and showy petals, nectar, fruits, seeds etc.
Disadvantages of Vegetative Propagation:
(i) Due to overcrowding of large number of plants near the parent plants, there is severe competition between the members of the same species. Thus many plants become weak and stunted.
(ii) There may be degeneration of species due to lack of sexual stimulus.
(iii) Due to lack of genetic variability in vegetative reproductive structure there may not be evolution of new species.