Vegetative propagation

Abstract

In principle plants can be propagated in two ways: vegetatively (asexual, also called cloning), and generatively (sexually, by seeds). Both types of propagation may be impossible under certain conditions. When generative propagation is unsatisfactory (no seeds are formed, too few seeds are formed, the seeds quickly loose their germination viability) then vegetative propagation is often adopted. Generative propagation is equally unsatisfactory when a (very) heterogeneous progeny is obtained, due to its strong heterozygosity.