What is vegetative propagation in plants?

A form of natural cloning where new individuals arise from vegetative structures (such as stems, roots, or leaves) rather than from seeds.

What are runners or stolons in the context of vegetative propagation?

Horizontal stems that grow along the soil surface and produce new plants at nodes, as seen in strawberries.

What are rhizomes and how do they enable vegetative propagation?

Underground horizontal stems that grow beneath the soil surface and produce new shoots and roots at intervals, allowing the plant to spread and form clones.

How do bulbs function as structures for vegetative propagation?

Bulbs are underground storage organs consisting of a short stem surrounded by fleshy leaf bases; they produce daughter bulbs that can separate and grow into new plants.

How do tubers enable vegetative propagation?

Tubers are swollen underground stems or roots that store nutrients and have buds (eyes) that can sprout to produce new genetically identical plants.

OCR A-Level Biology H420

Cell Structure

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Cloning and Biotechnology

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Cloning and Biotechnology

Natural plant cloning and taking cuttings

1 thing to know
Components 02 and 03

Overview

Runners, rhizomes, bulbs, corms, tubers and suckers as natural clones, and the steps in taking a cutting and getting it to root.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started

Process

What is a corm and how does it contribute to natural cloning?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What is vegetative propagation in plants?
Model answer
A form of natural cloning where new individuals arise from vegetative structures (such as stems, roots, or leaves) rather than from seeds.
2
What are runners or stolons in the context of vegetative propagation?
Model answer
Horizontal stems that grow along the soil surface and produce new plants at nodes, as seen in strawberries.
3
What are rhizomes and how do they enable vegetative propagation?
Model answer
Underground horizontal stems that grow beneath the soil surface and produce new shoots and roots at intervals, allowing the plant to spread and form clones.
4
How do bulbs function as structures for vegetative propagation?
Model answer
Bulbs are underground storage organs consisting of a short stem surrounded by fleshy leaf bases; they produce daughter bulbs that can separate and grow into new plants.
5
What is a corm and how does it contribute to natural cloning?
Model answer
A corm is a swollen underground stem base that stores nutrients; it produces new corms (cormels) that develop into genetically identical plants.
6
How do tubers enable vegetative propagation?
Model answer
Tubers are swollen underground stems or roots that store nutrients and have buds (eyes) that can sprout to produce new genetically identical plants.

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