Methods of Vegetative Propagation

METHODS OF VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION
Dr. PB Mallikharjuna | GFGC, Yelahanka
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 Plant Propagation is the process of the production of new plants from the propagules.
 Propagules are the germinating units of propagation.
 These are the reproductive (sexual) or the vegetative (Asexual) structures.
 These are mainly the seeds and the vegetative structures like tubers, stolon, suckers,
bulbs, bulbils, buds, etc.
 Seeds are the fertilized ovules having coat (Testa), embryo and the endosperm.
 These are the main propagules in most of the flowering plants including cultivated plants
especially in agriculture.
 They are genetically highly variable (with hybrid vigour) and have long-shelf life.
 Vegetative / Asexual reproduction: is the very common mode of plant propagation
especially where the seeds may not be viable or not at all produced.
 These propagules do not have more genetic variability.
 The produced plants are exactly like parents i.e. a clone
 These propagules may be natural or artificial (man made).
 Vegetative propagation is widely practiced both in the horticulture (both in the
floriculture and pomoculture)
 Vegetative propagation is an important vegetative or the asexual reproduction
process in plants which is exploited by the man in the fields of Horticulture and
Agriculture.
 It is of two types based on the nature of propagules viz.,
1. Natural Vegetative propagation: Where the natural plant propagules usually called,
Geophytes are involved in the propagation. Some of these are Rhizomes, Tubers,
Bulbs, Corns, etc.
Natural Methods of Vegetative propagation:
Several plants (both lower and higher groups) will propagate through the vegetative or the
asexual reproduction. Since the plant tissues /cells are totipotent, they can produce new
individual plants.

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These propagules may develop in the root, stem, or leaf region. Some of the important vegetative
propagules are tubers, rhizomes, stolon, offsets, suckers, vegetative buds, bulbs, bulbils, etc.
These are also called Geophytes
Tubers:
 These are the swollen, storage organs with starch and other nutrients. They may produce
in either the underground stem (Potato) or the roots, But the tubers may be, storage
variable (size and shape) structures (Carrot, Radish). They will germinate and produce
new daughter plants.
 The stem tubers are usually like in Potato are having the auxiliary buds (eye spot), on
germination produce new daughter plants.
Rhizome: These are underground horizontally growing swollen stem modification. They are
long, and branched structures with distinct nodes and internodes. The auxiliary buds present in
the nodes may give rise to the daughter plants.
Ex: Ginger, Turmeric, Banana, Orchids
Runner: is a sub-aerial stem modification, which grow horizontally to the surface of the soil
and with distinct nodes and internodes.
Ex: Strawberry.

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Stolon: are sub-aerial , slender stem modification with distinct nodes and internodes give rise
to new individuals.
Ex: Perennial grasses.
Suckers: are the sub-aerial stem modification, usually some of its portion covered by the soil,
will grow into a new individual.
Ex: Banana, Chrysanthemum and Pineapple.
Offsets: are the sub-aerial stem modifications. It is a basal lateral shoot or branch arises from
the stem.
Ex: Date palm
Bulbs: are the condensed underground stems, which grow vertically. It contains discoidal new
individuals. Ex: Onion and Garlic stem on which several concentrically arranged fleshy leaves
are present. The stem produces

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2. Artificial Methods of Vegetative propagation:
Artificial Vegetative propagation: is carried out by the farmer or the horticulturist at
will. Some of the vegetative propagules used in this method are cuttings, scion, bud,
layer, explants and bulb segment.
 Based on the type of propagule used in the cloning, the artificial vegetative
propagation is of various types such as,
1. Cutting
2. Grafting
3. Layering
4. Budding
5. Gootee and
6. Micropropagation
 Cutting:
 It is the most important vegetative propagation technique especially used in the many
horticultural crops, ornamentals, fruits, nuts and vegetables.
 It is being done with the propagules of stems, roots, leaves and leaf buds.
 In this process, the cutting derived from the stem or leaf bud has to develop
adventatious roots in order to give rise to a new plant.
 However, the leaf cutting and the root cutting must initiate both adventitious roots and
adventitious buds, to give rise to a new plant.
 The new independent plants produced are a clone.
 Cutting propagation technique involves the chemical, mechanical and/or
environmental manipulation.
 Phytohormones i.e., auxins, Gibberellins, cytokines will play an important role
especially in root induction process.
 Based on the stem tissue used, cutting propagation methods are of several types.
Some of these are,
1. Hardwood cuttings
2. Semi-hardwood cuttings
3. Softwood cuttings

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4. Herbaceous cuttings
5. Leaf cuttings
6. Leaf bud cuttings
7. Root cuttings
 Hardwood cuttings: These are taken from mature wood, sometimes with a heel at
the end of growing season. E.g., grape, pomegranate, plum, apple rootstocks,
rose, peach, black berry etc.
 Soft woodcuttings: These are taken from immature tips of new growth. E,g.,
lilacs, oleander, chrysanthemum, carnation, dahlia, sweet potato.
 Semi-hard woodcuttings: These are taken from lateral growth that is just
beginning to mature. E.g., Viburnum, Camellia, Azalea, hydrangea, mango, guava,
lemon
 Herbaceous cuttings: are made from succulents with little woody tissue like
Geraniams, chrysanthemums, coleus, etc.
 Leaf cuttings: In this case, whole leaf or section of leaf are taken as cuttings.
Begonia, African violet, Kalanchoe, peperomia, black berry.
 Leaf bud cuttings: consist of a leaf blade, petiole and a short piece of the stem
with the attached auxiliary bud. It is used in the blackberries, lemon, chemelia
(Tea) and Maple crops.
 Root cuttings: In this case, roots of 1cm thick and 10-15cm tall are used as
cuttings. E.g., blackberry, raspberry, apple, pear, peach, Aralia.

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 Grafting:
 It is one of the oldest methods of vegetative propagation in practice.
 Chinese practiced grafting technique since 1560 BC; Aristotle and Theophrastus have
mentioned the presence of this practice (280 – 400 BC) .
 It is usually practiced especially in fruit and nut tree propagation.
 It is one of the most expensive vegetative propagation techniques including budding.
 Grafting technique involves the union of either two or rarely three structures. These are
generally called 1). Understock/stock (a root system), 2). Scion (a shoot system) and/or
3). Interstock (a different shoot).
 Due to the union of the stock and scion, a composite/compared plant is subsequently
grown.
 The root stock is the lower portion of the graft which develops into the root system of
the grafted plant, while the scion develops into shoot system.
 Grafting technique is of several types. Some of these are,
1. Tongue grafting:
2. Splice grafting
3. Wedge grafting
4. Side grafting
5. Crown grafting
Whip and tongue grafting: Both the rootstock and the scion are given sloping cuts and then
shallow tongues are cut along the sloping cuts for interlocking of scion with stock. E.g., Robinia,
Fraxinus, apple, pear.
Approach grafting: In this method, the scion unites with stock while both the components are on
their own root system. After the union takes place, the top of the stock above the graft and base
of the scion plant is removed below the graft. This method requires the placing of seedling plants
growing in pot or container under an established plant which furnish the scion part of the new
graft plant.
Veneer grafting: In such case, rootstocks of one year old with a diameter of 1.0 to 1.5cm diameter
and scion shoots of 3-6 months old with lush green leaves are selected. Terminal and next to
terminal shoots are ideal. A short and downward cut is given through the cambium of stock by

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sloping cut down the base of the first cut. The chip is removed and replaced by the scion similar
in shape of rootstock, e.g., Magnolia, mango
Wedge grafting: Rootstocks should be more in diameter than scion. Rootstocks with 5-7 cm or
more girth should be selected. The stock is given a ‘V’ shaped cut into which a wedge shaped
scion of 15-20 cm long is inserted and tied up. E.g., Walnut, grape, Syringa, Daphne, cacti.
Soft wood grafting: In this case, grafting is practiced with mature pre-cured scion on the emerging
soft coppery red shoot of rootstock having leaves and commonly found in mango, avocado,
sapota, citrus.
Saddle grafting: The rootstock is decapitated 25cm above the ground level. Two upward slopping
cuts are made on the side of the rootstock to form a 5-7cm long wedge on its cut end. On the
stem of the scion shoot, a tongue is made. The wedge of the rootstock is then fitted into the
groove of the tongue. E.g., Rhododendron.
Flat grafting: Both the top of the rootstock and the base of the scion are cut horizontally and
placed together. E.g. Cacti and succulents.
Side grafting: Both sides of rootstock and the base of the slender scions are given slanting cuts
and fastened together. E.g, Cacti.
Double working: In this technique, in addition to rootstock and scion, an intermediate stock is
inserted between them. So, a double worked plant has two graft unions –an between rootstock
and interstock and another between the interstock and scion and practiced to overcome graft
incompatibility.

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Figure 1Whip / Tongue grafting
Saddle Grafting Double Grafting
 Layering:
 It is also one of the widely practiced vegetative propagation techniques.

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 Layering is a way of rooting cuttings in which adventitious roots are initiated on a stem
while still attached to the parent plant.
 The rooted stem is Layer. It is then detached, transplanted and becomes a separate
plant on its own.
 Layering vegetative propagation technique is widely practiced in the plants having
suckers, runners, stolons and offsets, which serve as rooted layers.
 There are several types of layering techniques. Some of these are,
1. Simple layering: can be accomplished by bending a low growing, flexible stem to the
ground. Part of the stem is covered with soil, leaving the remaining 6 to 12 inches
above the soil. The tip is bent into a vertical position and staked in place. The sharp
bend often induces rooting, but wounding the lower side of the bent branch may help
also. Simple layering can be done on most plants with low-growing branches.
Examples of plants propagated by simple layering include climbing roses, forsythia,
rhododendron, honeysuckle, boxwood, azalea, and wax myrtle
2. Compound layering & Serpentine Layering: is similar to simple layering, but several
layers are made from a single stem. The stem is bent to the rooting medium as for
simple layering, but alternately covering and exposing the sections of the stem. Each
section should have at least one bud exposed and one bud covered with soil. The
lower side of each stem section to be covered is wounded. This method gives two or
more plants instead of just one. This method works well for plants producing vine-like
growth such as heartleaf philodendron, pothos, wisteria, clematis, and grapes.
3. Mound layering: is a vegetative propagation technique in which the original plants
are set in the ground with the stem nearly horizontal, which forces side buds to grow
upward. After these are started, the original stem is buried up to some distance from
the tip. At the end of the growing season, the side branches are rooted, and is
separated while the plant is dormant. Ground layering is used in the formation of
visible surface roots known as nebari on bonsai trees.
4. Trench layering: Trench / Etiolation Layering : is primarily used for fruit trees which
are difficult to propagate by other methods, and works best with plants whose buds
will break and grow under the soil, such as willows, grapes and dogwoods.

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 In this method, the parent plant is planted at an angle of 30-40 ° to the ground so
that branches may be pulled down to the soil surface more easily. A young,
vigorous branch is laid horizontally in a 5 cm (2 in) trench, and pegged into
position. It is then, covered with soil to encourage the development of several new
shoots. As these shoots develop, soil is filled around them and roots eventually
develop. detached from
5. Air layering: is an effective propagation method for some plants that do not root
readily from cuttings and which often lack low-growing shoots suitable for conventional
layering, such as magnolia, hazel, Cotinus and flowering Cornus species.
 Air layering can be used to propagate large, overgrown houseplants such as
rubber plant, croton, or dieffenbachia that have lost most of their lower leaves.
Woody ornamentals such as azalea, camellia, magnolia, oleander, and holly can
also be propagated by air layering.
Figure 2: Simple Layering
Figure A) Serpentine Layering B) Compound Layering

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Figure C) Mound Layering D) Trench Layering
 Gootee:
 It is a type of air layering technique in which an aerial stem is girdled and enclosed
with rooting media to produce rooted plants.
Figure A) Showing Gootee B) Gootee/ Air layering in mango
Note: Dr P B Mallikharjuna , Associate Professor & Head has prepared this document as a part
of on line classes on 7th
and 8th
May 2020

Methods of Vegetative Propagation

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