Plant Propagation

By: Johnny M. Jessup

Agriculture Teacher/FFA Advisor

Introduction

• What is plant propagation?

• The reproduction or increasing in number of plants.

• Can be done in one of two ways….

• Sexual.

• Asexual.

Sexual or Seed Propagation

Sexual Propagation

• The propagation or reproducing of plants from seeds.

Sexual Propagation

• Pollen is transferred from the anther to the stigma.

• Fertilization occurs and seeds are produced.

Parts of the Seed

Parts of the Seed

• Seeds are made up of 3 main parts….

• Seed Coat – hard outer covering

• Endosperm – source of stored food

• Embryonic Plant

Planting Seeds

• Planting depth depends on the size of the seeds.

• The larger the seed, the deeper it is planted.

• Example: Petunia seeds are planted shallower than beans, tomatoes, or marigolds because they are the smallest.

• Small seeds should be watered by bottom soaking.

Planting Seeds

• Seeds are directly seeded when they are planted in the soil where they will grow to a saleable size.

• Germination flats are used if they are to be transplanted at a later time. • When reusing germination flats, be sure to sterilize

the flats and soil.

Germination

• Germination rate is the % that sprout. • Example: 75 out of 100 = 75%

• Rates affected by…. • Seed viability (the seed’s capability of growing or developing)

• Temperature.

• Moisture.

• Type of plant.

• Quality of seed.

Germination

Seedlings

• Seedlings are the small plants.

• The first sets of leaves are called cotyledons.

• Monocots produce one seed leaf.

• Dicots produce two seed leaves.

Transplanting Seedlings

• Seedlings are the small plants.

• Transplant when first true leaves appear

• Hold by the true leaves rather than the stems to prevent stem bruising which will kill the plant

Hardening Off

• The reducing of humidity and water to make the environment more like the outside.

Advantages of Sexual Propagation

• Fast way to get many plants.

• Easy to do.

• Economical.

Disadvantages of Sexual Propagation

• Some plants, especially hybrids, do not reproduce true to parents.

• Some plants are difficult to propagate from seeds.

Examples of Plants Started from Seed:

• Marigold, impatiens, begonia, coleus, salvia, shasta daisy, and pansy

Asexual Propagation

Asexual Propagation

• The use of growing parts other than seeds to reproduce plants.

• The types are….

• Cuttings

• Layering

• Division/Separation

• Budding

• Grafting

• Tissue Culture

Rooting from Cuttings

• Rooting media should be about 4 inches deep.

• Best time of day to take cuttings is early morning because plants have more moisture.

Rooting from Cuttings

• The three main types of cuttings are….

• Stem

• Leaf

• Root

Stem Cuttings

• Start with sterile flats, soil, and tools.

Stem Cuttings

• Must include a node. A node is a point along a plant stem where leaves or other stems are attached.

• Internode is the area between two nodes.

Stem Cuttings

• Cutting is taking a 4-6 inch piece of the plant and forcing roots to grow.

Stem Cuttings

• Use a rooting hormone with fungicide to….

• Speed up root development.

• Prevent root rot.

Stem Cuttings

• Herbaceous plants are soft-tissue plants.

Stem Cuttings

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHj8E-7E7-8

Stem Cuttings

• Woody plants are plants that produce woody tissue.

Examples of plants that can be started by stem cuttings:

• Herbaceous cuttings – geranium, impatiens, begonia, and coleus

Examples of plants that can be started by stem cuttings:

• Woody cuttings – holly, abelia, and rosemary.

Leaf Cuttings

• The use of leaves and sections of leaves to reproduce plants.

Leaf Cuttings

• Usually done from herbaceous plants.

• Midrib vein must be cut in order to make roots form.

Leaf Cuttings

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTkfU0BobkE

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngVHqjm0Cyk

Leaf Cuttings

• Examples of plants that can be started by leaf cuttings.

• African violet and philodendron

• snake plant and jade plant.

Root Cuttings

• The use of roots to reproduce plants.

• Should be spaced 3 inches apart in the rooting area.

Root Cuttings

• A sand, vermiculite or perlite mixture is a good medium for root cuttings.

Root Cuttings

• Examples of plants that can be started by root cuttings: hosta and daylily.

Root Cuttings

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gwCLs8LoTs

• Start at 2:30

Layering

• The rooting of plant parts while they are still attached to the “parent” plant.

• The types are….

• Air Layering.

• Trench Layering.

• Mound Layering.

Air Layering

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qviLRmiqrs8

Air Layering

• Also called Chinese propagation.

• Area of plant is girdled and surrounded by a moist growing medium that is sealed in polyethylene film.

Air Layering Steps:

• Making an incision at the node of a branch.

• Dust with rooting hormone, place sphagnum moss in plastic and wrap around the incision forcing roots to grow on the stem of the plant.

• Once roots form, remove below the new roots for a new plant.

Air Layering

Air Layering

• Examples of plants to air layer: Decora rubber plant and weeping fig.

Trench layering

• New plants form at each point along the stem while still attached to the plant.

• Is cutting a trench and laying a branch in the trench.

• Types of trench layering are simple, tip and serpentine.

Trench Layering

• Examples of plants for trench layering: grapes and clematis.

Mound Layering

• Rooted plant is cut off at the soil level.

• As the season progresses, soil is added to cover the growing shoots.

• After 1 year, the shoots are rooted and removed from the parent plant.

Mound Layering

• An example would be an azalea

Division & Separation

• Cutting or pulling apart of…. • Bulbs

• Corms

• Rhizomes

• Tubers

• Runners

• Stolons

• Suckers

Division

• Division is used on plants that grow in clumps.

• Examples of plants that can be divided are hostas, daylilies and irises.

• Also used on some grasses.

Division

Bulbs

• Bulbs are short stems with fleshy leaves or leaf bases that function as food storage organs during dormancy

• Daffodil and hyaninth.

Corm

• Corm is an enlarged, bulb-like, fleshy structure found at the base of a stem. Usually flattened and round.

• Examples: gladiolus and crocus.

Rhizome

• Rhizome is a creeping underground stem, usually horizontal, that produces roots and leaves at the nodes.

• Examples: cannas and bearded Iris.

Stolon

• A creeping above ground stem that grows horizontally and produces roots and shoots at the nodes.

• Example: strawberry.

Tuber

• Tuber is a swollen, modified stem that grows underground.

• Example: potato.

Sucker

• Sucker is a shoot or stem that originates from the roots.

Division

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qF787nUBQek

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U51H5JIEz8

Grafting

• Joining separate plant parts together so that they form a union and grow together to make one plant.

• Scion

• Piece of plant at the top of the graft.

• Rootstock

• The piece of the plant at the root or bottom of the graft.

Grafting

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTtXmBVsolY

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICVwHs4Nero

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-K4lWEAVcuI

Grafting Methods

• Scion & rootstock are the same size:

• Wedge

• Splice

• Whip & tongue

• Approach

Grafting Methods

whip & tongue graft

splice graft

approach graft

wedge graft

Grafting Methods

• Scion is smaller than the rootstock:

• Cleft.

• Side.

• Notch.

• Bark inlay.

Grafting Methods

cleft graft side graft

bark inlay graft notch graft

Grafting

• Tools needed are a knife, tape, and wax.

• Plants must be related to each other and normally in the same genus or family.

Grafting

• Examples of plants that can be grafted: Maples and fruit trees, sweetgum (fruitless sweetgum), and pecan.

Budding

• A form of grafting when a bud is used (instead of a scion).

• Faster or quicker than grafting.

• The 3 main methods are….

• Patch budding.

• T-budding.

• Chip budding.

Budding

• Successful budding requires that the scion (top) material have fully-formed, mature, dormant buds and that the rootstock be in a condition of active growth such that the "bark is slipping". This means that the vascular cambium is actively growing, and the bark can be peeled easily from the stock piece with little damage.

Patch Budding

Patch Budding

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQxv4MQDhug

T-Budding

Chip Budding

Budding

• An example of plant used would be rose.

Advantages to Asexual Propagation

• In asexual reproduction or propagation plants mature in shorter time.

• Budding is faster or quicker than grafting.

• In trench layering, plant forms at each node on covered stems.

• Some plants do not produce viable seeds.

• New plants are same as parent plant.

Disadvantages to Asexual Propagation

• Some methods require special equipment & skills….

• Such as grafting.

• Cuttings detach plant parts from water and nutrient source.

• Some plants are patented….

• Making propagation illegal.

Biotechnology in Horticulture

What is Biotechnology?

• The use of cells or components (parts) of cells to produce or processes.

Methods of Biotechnology

• Tissue Culture • Also called

micropropagation.

• Uses the terminal shoots or leaf buds in a sterile or aseptic environment on agar gel or other nutrient-growing media to produce thousands of identical plants.

Tissue Culture

• Must have a sterile environment.

• Good way to get the most plants in a short time.

Tissue Culture

• It will give you a plant identical to the parent plant.

• An example would be impatiens and many flower and vegetable plants.

Methods of Biotechnology

• Cloning

• Genetically generating offspring from non-sexual tissue.

Methods of Biotechnology

• Genetic Engineering

• Movement of genetic information in the form of genes from one cell to another cell to modify or change the genetic make-up.

Benefits of Biotechnology

• Produce many identical plants in a short time.

• Increase disease and insect resistance.

• Increase tolerance to heat or cold.

• Increase weed tolerance.

• Increase tolerance to drought.

• Improve environment.

• Increase production.

• Other genetic changes.

Designed By:

• Johnny M. Jessup; FFA Advisor

• Hobbton High School