Advantages and disadvantages of plant cloning

Overview

Rapid mass production, preserved traits, disease-free stock and growing out of season, set against reduced genetic diversity, cost and the skill required.

What you need to know

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Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   How does artificial plant cloning enable rapid mass production?

   Model answer

   Techniques like micropropagation can produce thousands of identical plants from a single parent in a short time.

2. 2

   Why is cloning useful for preserving desirable traits in plants?

   Model answer

   All cloned offspring are genetically identical to the parent, ensuring consistent expression of selected characteristics.

3. 3

   How can micropropagation produce disease-free plant stock?

   Model answer

   By selecting healthy tissue from disease-free parts of the parent (such as meristem tips) and growing it in sterile conditions.

4. 4

   Why is artificial plant cloning independent of season?

   Model answer

   Plants can be propagated year-round in controlled laboratory conditions regardless of external climate or season.

5. 5

   How can artificial cloning contribute to conservation of rare plant species?

   Model answer

   It allows rapid multiplication of endangered species from limited parent material without depleting wild populations.

6. 6

   Why does artificial plant cloning reduce genetic diversity?

   Model answer

   All offspring are genetically identical, so there is no genetic variation within the cloned population.

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