Plant Propagation: Techniques and Objectives

Vocabulary flashcards covering sexual and asexual plant propagation techniques, seed dormancy breaking treatments, and budding and grafting methods.

Plant Propagation

The process of multiplying or increasing the number of plants of the same species while perpetuating their desirable characteristics.

Sexual Propagation

The propagation or multiplication of plants by seeds formed from successful fertilization and combination of parental gametes, which typically produces virus-free seedlings.

Bottom Soaking

A watering method recommended for tiny seeds to supply moisture without displacing them after shallow sowing.

Germination Rate

The percentage of seeds that successfully sprout and germinate (for example, $\frac{75}{100} = 75\%$).

Chemical Scarification

A seed treatment that modifies hard or impermeable seed coverings by soaking seeds in concentrated sulphuric acid for $10\text{ minutes}$ to $6\text{ hours}$, followed by thorough washing in clean water.

Mechanical Scarification

Weakening or breaking the seed coat using sandpaper or a file to abrade it, a knife to nick it, or a hammer to crack it so water can enter without crushing the embryo.

Boiled Water Treatment

Pouring boiling water over seeds and allowing it to cool gradually over $12$ to $24\text{ hours}$ to soften dry, hard-shelled seeds such as coffee to hasten germination.

Water Soaking

A pre-germination method of soaking seeds in cold water to modify hard seed coats, remove inhibitors, soften the seed, and shorten germination time (e.g., peas, beans, and acassia tree).

Stratification

A pre-germination moist chilling method where seeds of woody trees or shrubs are placed in alternate layers of sand in shallow boxes, pits, or trenches and exposed to low temperatures.

Asexual Propagation

The reproduction of plants using vegetative parts (stem, leaf, or root) from a single parent, producing genetically uniform plants with a short juvenile phase and earlier bearing.

Cutting

An asexual propagation method where a vegetative part of a mother plant (stem, leaf, or root) is detached and encouraged to regenerate into a complete new plant.

Side Grafting

A grafting technique where the prepared scion is inserted into the side of an established rootstock that has greater girth than the scion (e.g., hibiscus).

Cleft Grafting

A grafting method where the split stock is held open with a chisel so that the prepared scion can be inserted and wrapped (e.g., mango, jackfruit, bael, and amla).

Bark Grafting

A plant graft made by slitting the bark of the rootstock and inserting the scion beneath it.

T-Budding

A budding method also known as shield budding because the single mature scion bud inserted into the rootstock stem is cut in the shape of a shield.

Patch Budding

A budding method used for thick-barked species in which a rectangular patch of bark containing a single bud from the scion is fitted into a matching opening on the rootstock.

Ring Budding

A budding technique in which an entire ring of bark is cut and removed from the stock and replaced with a matching ring of bark containing a bud from the scion.

Chip Budding

A budding method where a chip of bark and wood between nodes of the stock is replaced with a matching chip containing a bud so their cambium layers make direct contact.