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Colorado AgriScience
Plant Science
Unit 4: Reproduction & Genetics
Lesson 4: Asexual Propagation I
Asexual Propagation
Use of vegetative parts of a plant to
increase its number
 Advantages

 Economy
 Time
 Plants

that are identical to the parent
Methods
 Cuttings,
culture
layering, division, grafting, & tissue
Stem Cuttings

Tools
 Sharp

knife, single edge razor, & disinfectant
Remove all flowers & buds
 Plant
needs to utilize energy for root
development
Apply Rooting Hormone
 Use proper soil medium

Vegetative Parts of a Plant
Stem Tip Cuttings
Normally include the terminal bud
 Stem 2-4” is used

 Cut
made just below the node
 Remove lower leaves
 Apply rooting hormone
 Insert in media deep enough to be self
supporting
 1 node must be below the surface of the
media for root growth to occur
Stem Section Cuttings

Use middle portion of stem behind the tip
cuttings, 2-4” sections are needed
 Remove
lower leaves
 Cut just above a node on each end
 Handle as a tip cutting
 Position the cutting with the right end up
 Axial
buds are always on the tops of the leaves
Cane Cuttings

For plants with cane like stems
 Stems
cut into sections with 1 or 2 nodes
 Dust ends with fungicide
 Dry cane for 1-2 hours
 Place cane horizontally with half the cane
below the surface of the media
 The eyes or nodes should face upward
Cane Cuttings
Heel Cuttings
Used on woody
stemmed plants
 Shield shaped cut
made ½ way through
the wood around the
leaf & axial bud
 Apply rooting
hormone
 Insert into media

Single-Eye Cuttings
Used on plants with
alternating leaves
 Cut ½ “ above &
below the node
 Apply rooting
hormone
 Place vertically or
horizontally

Double-Eye Cutting






Used on plants with
opposite leaves
Used when stock
material is limited
Select single node
Cut ½” above & below
the node
Apply rooting hormone
Place vertically
Leaf Cuttings
Made from leaf with
the petiole cut to less
then ½”
 Make a clean cut
 Apply rooting
hormone
 Place vertically in
rooting media

Leaf Petiole Cuttings
Used on a leaf with
½” – 1 ½” long
petiole
 Place vertically in
media
 Several plants will
develop from the
base of the petiole

Leaf Section Cuttings
Leaf Section Cuttings
Leaves such as begonia are cut into
wedges, each containing at least 1 vein
 Make the cut in a wedge shape with the
bottom being the point

 Done
so you can tell the top from the bottom
Sections are then placed in media
 New plants will form where the vein is in
contact with the media

Split-Vein Cuttings
Used with large leaf plants such as
begonias
 Remove leaf from stock plant
 Slit veins on the bottom surface of the leaf
 Place the leaf on rooting media with the
slits down
 A new plant will form at each of the slits

Split-Vein Cuttings
Root Cuttings
Use plants that are 2 -3 years old
 Make cuttings when plant is dormant

 They
will have larger supplies of
carbohydrates
 Top cut is straight & bottom cut is slanted

Plants with large roots
 Use

section 4-6 inches long
Plants with small roots
 Use
section 1-2 inches long
Root Cuttings
Store cutting 2-3 weeks in moist peat
moss or sand at a temperature of 40
degrees
 Large roots

 Plant
vertically with the slant cut down
 Top should be flush with surface of media

Small roots
 Place
cutting horizontally ½” below media
surface