Plant propagation-methods

Plant Propagation
• Plant propagation is defined as the controlled
reproduction of plants by man to perpetuate
selected individual or groups of individual
plants which have specific value.

• Methods
-Sexual
-Asexual (vegetative)
 SEXUAL METHOD OF PLANT PROPAGATION

• Propagation of plants by seeds is known as

sexual propagation.

• Seed is formed when a pollen grain sticks

on the stigma of the flower, and sends
down a pollen tube which releases a sperm
cell into the ovule.

• This process is known as fertilization or

joining of the sperm cell and ovule forms a
cell called a zygote. The zygote then
develops into an embryo.

• The embryo along with the food storage

organs, cotyledons and/or endosperm and
the seed coat or testa make up what is
called the seed.
 Seed germination

Stages:-
– Imbibition
– Breakdown of stored energy
– Germination
 Imbibition
• It involves the uptake of water and called as
imbibition.

• During this process the protein synthesizing

systems are activated and various other
enzymes are also synthesized.

• These enzymes catalyze reactions used in the

second stage of germination.
 Breakdown of stored energy

• The second stage of germination involves the

breakdown of the stored energy rich
compounds of the cotyledons and endosperm.

• The second stage is a period of readying the

embryo for rapid growth during the third
stage.
 Germination
• During the third stage of
germination, cell division begins
and the embryo grows into a
seedling.

• The first growth occurs in the

radicle, and the root system is
established.

• This is followed by the Germination and seedling development

emergence of the plumule.

• Once the seedling has formed

leaves it becomes a self sufficient
plant.
 Types of seed germination
• Epigeous
• Hypogeous

Epigeous germination of cherry seed Hypogeous germination of peach seed

 Advantages and disadvantages of sexual
propagation
Advantages Disadvantages

Seedling tree are hardier and long lived. The seedlings are not uniform

Plants which are difficult to propagate by Seedlings take more time to bear fruit
vegetative means e.g. papaya and phalsa (juvenile period is long).
can only be multiplied through this
method.

In breeding for evolution of new The genetic purity is not retained (not
varieties, the hybrids are first raised form true-to-type)
seeds and it is essential to employ this
method in such areas.
 Factors affecting germination

A. Seed viability-
• seed should be viable

B. Moisture- in certain seeds if the moisture

content becomes low they lose their viability e.g
citrus seeds can withstand only slight drying. A
moisture content of 4-6 % is the most effective
for prolong storage.
 C. Temperature
While seeds are stored, their rate of
transpiration should proceed very slowly.
If the RH of the air is high, large quantities of
water will be absorbed and as a result large
quantity of insoluble food will be hydrolyzed to
soluble form, this will increase the rate of
respiration rate and decrease storage life.
 D. Light
• There are some seeds which germinates in
presence of light or their germination is
influenced by light (photoblastic e.g. blueberry
seeds) whereas, others germinate in dark
condition.
 Other factors

Seed dormancy
The embryo of the seed remains in an inactive
stage from the time of development to its
germination.
This failure of the embryo to germinate is
termed as dormancy of seeds, even though the
embryo is viable.
 Types of dormancy
• External dormancy
• Internal dormancy

External dormancy
This dormancy sometimes may be due to
unfavourable external factors such as lack of
moisture, suitable temperature or oxygen.
Dormancy due to these factors is termed as
external dormancy.
 Internal dormancy

Sometimes even if external factors are favourable even

though seeds fail to germinate due to some internal
condition of seeds. This is known as internal dormancy. It
may be due to following factors:
• Condition existing within the embryo (embryo
dormancy)
• Influence of some of the enclosing seed parts on the
embryo (seed coat dormancy)
• Some substances in some parts of the seeds or fruit may
chemically inhibit the germination. This is referred as
inhibitory dormancy.
 Treatments to overcome dormancy

a. Scarification:
Treatments given to seeds for removing
external barriers which prevents the seed
germination, these includes:
1) Mechanical
2) Hot water
3) Acid treatment
 Mechanical
• In mechanical scarification, cracking of seed
with hammer, rubbing with sand paper or
cutting with a file without injury to embryo is
generally employed to break the dormancy
(ber, peach and walnut).
 Hot water treatment
• Impermeable seed coat can be softened by
hot water scarification. Seeds are placed in
hot water at 77°–100°C. They are immediately
removed from hot water and allowed to soak
gradually in cool water for 12–24hr.
 Acid treatment
• Acid scarification consists of treating seeds
with concentrated sulphuric acid for 3
minutes, ber for 5–6 hr and strawberry seeds
with 0.25% nitric acid or hydrogen peroxide
results in higher germination.
 b. Stratification

• Chilling stratification (0 to 7 oC) is a

horticultural practice, in which seeds are
placed between layers of moist sand or soil in
boxes (or in the ground) and exposed to
chilling temperatures, either out of doors or in
refrigerators for a certain period of time.
 Stratification period for different
temperate fruits seeds
Seed Chilling temp. (0C) Duration (days)
Apple 3-5 60-80
Apricot 3-5 45-50
Cherry 2-5 90-100
Peach 2-4 70-90
Pear 2-5 45-50
Pecan Nut 2-5 90-100
Walnut 2-5 70-75
Kiwi 2-4 40-45
• Dormant seeds of temperate fruits like apple,
peach, pear, cherry and apricot are generally
placed in layers of sand in a box at a
temperature of 1°–5°C. Depending upon the
seed type, treatment time varies from 1–5
months for breaking dormancy of seeds.
 Warm moist followed by cold moist

Seeds with simple morphophysiological

dormancy may require warm (>15ºC) followed
by cold (1 to 10ºC) conditions during which time
the embryo develops and then breaks
physiological dormancy.
 Out door stratification

Outdoor stratification

Bed preparation Seed sowing

 Outdoor planting
The seeds of some temperate fruits are sown
directly in nursery beds in autumn and in
winters the chilling requirement gets fulfilled.
These seeds germinate in spring and such seeds
don’t require any treatments to break dormancy
the process is known as outdoor planting or
stratification.
Hormonal Control of Dormancy and Germination

Gibberellins (GA)

Abscisic Acid (ABA)

Cytokinins

Ethylene
 Use of growth regulators
• The seed dormancy can also be overcome by the
treatment of growth regulators.
• Treatment of seeds of apple, cherry, peach, strawberry and
hazelnut with 100–500ppm of GA3 for 24–48hr improves
germination and better growth of seedlings.
• Ethrel (5,000ppm)-treated seeds of guava and strawberry
also show better germination and growth of seedlings.
• Treatment of apple and peach seeds with 10–20ppm
solution of benzyle adenine (BA) is effective for higher
seed germination.
•
 Other Compounds

• Use of potassium nitrate has been an important

seed treatment in seed-testing laboratories for
many years.
• Thiourea overcomes certain types of dormancy,
such as dormancy in Prunus seeds as well as the
high temperature inhibition of lettuce seeds.
• Two other naturally occurring substances, fusicoccin
and cotylenin, have been reported to mimic the
combination of GA plus cytokinin for dormancy
release.
 ASEXUAL PROPAGATION OF PLANTS
• Propagation of plants through vegetative parts
maybe stem, roots, leave or living tissue or
cells.
• Plants propagated asexually are genetically
the same as the mother plant (true-to-type).
• This is also called cloning.
• One of the oldest clones in existence is
Thompson seedless grapes.
• The plant with the largest number of daughter
plants is the navel orange.
Plants are propagated asexually for the following reasons

• To preserve the genetic characteristics of a

particular plant.
• To propagate plants that do not produce viable
seeds (bananas, pineapple, seedless grape, etc.).
• To propagate plants that produce seed that is
difficult to germinate or has a very short storage life
• To bypass the juvenile stage of plant growth when
the plants will not flower and bare fruit (tree fruits).
 Disadvantages

• They are short lived as compared to plants

propagated through sexually.
• They don’t grow vigorous.
• No new variety can be evolved through this
method.
 Methods of asexual propagation

• Cuttings (Root, stem or leaf )

• Layering
• Grafting and budding
• Tissue culture
 Propagation by Cuttings

• Stem cuttings
– Hardwood cutting (dormant e.g. Kiwi, grapes,
pomegranate, quince, apple, pear, plum rootstocks
etc.)

– Semi-hardwood cutting (late spring or late summer

e.g. citrus, olive)

– Softwood cutting (spring or early summer e.g.

apple, peach, plum, and pear)
 Time of taking cuttings
A. Hardwood cuttings:
• Taken during dormant season
(fall) while the buds are in or
entering the rest period.

• The cuttings are treated with

auxin, stored under moist
condition at relatively warm
temperatures at 18 to 210 C for
three to five weeks to stimulate
root initiation.

• The cuttings are then planted in

nursery bed or kept in cold
storage (2 to 4.50 C) until spring.
 Time of taking cuttings
B. Semi-hardwood cuttings
• Semi-hardwood cuttings are those made from woody, broad
leaved evergreen species and leafy summer and early fall
cuttings of deciduous plant with partially matured wood.

• Cuttings of broad leaved evergreen plants are generally taken

during the summer or late spring through early fall in
warmer climate, from new shoots just after a flush of growth
has taken place and the wood is partially matured.

• In fruits citrus and olive can be propagated by semi-

hardwood cuttings.
 Preparation of cuttings
(Semi-hardwood cuttings)
Cuttings are made 7.5 to 15 cm long with leaves
retained at the upper end.

If the leaves are large then the leaves are trimmed 1/3 rd
to ½ their size to reduce the leaf surface area,
which lowers the transpirational water loss.

The basal cut is usually made just below a node.

The cutting should be obtained in the cool and early

morning hours when leaves and stems are turgid.

Cuttings should be placed in large containers, which are

covered with clean moist burlap to maintain a high
humidity, or put in large polythene bags.

Cuttings should be kept out of sunlight until they can be

stuck and propagation is initiated
 C. Softwood cuttings

• Cuttings prepared from the soft, succulent, new spring

growth of evergreen species.

• Softwoods are produced during the growth flushes and

may occur just once in a year. For difficult to root species
it is the only commercial method to clonally regenerate
cultivars.

• Softwood takes generally 3-5 weeks to root; temperature

for rooting must be 23 to 270 C at the base of cuttings.
• As long as light is adequate, ambient air temperature
of the plant of the mist or fog system can rise to 30 to
320 C without detriment to rooting.
• The best softwood cutting should be taken from side
branches of the stock, it should not be taken from fast
growing, soft, tender shoots as they are likely to
deteriorate before rooting.
• Softwood cutting are 7.5 to 12.5 cm long with two or
more nodes. The basal cut is made just below a node.
 Preparation of softwood cutting

• The leaves from lower portion should be

removed, with those upper portion
retained.
• Large leaves can be trimmed to minimize
transpiarational loss and to occupy less
space in the propagation chamber.
• But drastically trimming or cutting back of
leaves and the manual shading of leaves
can reduce rooting and increase chances of
Botrytis rot.
• For difficult to root plants factors that
favors a high leaf: stem ratio.
• Not trimming leaves with fairly thin stems
encourages rooting, whereas, thick fleshy
stem with leaf trimming may result in stem
rotting.
• All flower buds should be removed.
 Environmental conditions for rooting of leafy cuttings

• Rooting media temperature 18 to 250 C for temperate

species and 7 0 higher for most tropical species.

• Atmosphere conducive to low water loss and maintenance

of turger in leaves.

• Ample, but not excessive, light (100 W/m2 ) with selected

temperate woody species

• Clean, moist, well-aerated and well drained rooting

medium.
 Leaf bud cutting
• A leaf bud-cutting (single eye or
single node cutting) consists of
a leaf blade, petiole and a short
piece of the stem with the
attached axillary bud.
• The axillary bud at the nodal
area of the stem provides the
new shoot.
• Black raspberry (Rubus
occidentalis), blackberry, lemon,
camellia, maple and
rhododendron are readily
propagated by leaf bud-cutting.
 Root cuttings

• Best result with root cuttings are likely to be

attained if the root pieces are taken from young
stock plant in late winter or early spring when
the roots are still supplied with stored
carbohydrate but before new growth starts.
 PROPAGATION BY LAYERING

• It is the development of roots on a stem while

it is still attached to the parent/mother plant.
• The rooted stem is then detached to become a
new plant.
 Simple layering

• Simple layering
• It consists in covering the middle
portion of dormant shoot about
7-15 cm deep under the soil in
such a way that the tip is
exposed and branch remain
attached to the mother plant.

• In due course of time the

underground portion of shoot
develops root system and in next
growing season the plants are
detached from mother plants
and planted in orchard,
blackberry and grapes are
propagated by this method.
 Tip layering

• The tips of shoots are

buried 5-10 cm deep in soil
and rooted layers are
detached and planted in
soil/field in spring.
• Rooting takes place near the
tip of current season’s shoot
which is bent to the ground.
• It is commonly used in
blackberries and raspberry.
 Trench layering
•It consist of placing the basel and
middle portion of young stem in a
shallow trench and covering these
section in 2-4 inches deep moist
soil and terminal portion is left
exposed to manufacture foods and
hormones for developing plantlets.
•Muscadine grapes and clonal
rootstocks of apple are propagated
by this method.
 Mound layering
Mound layering (stooling)
•It consists in cutting back the stems of the
plants during dormant season and covering
the young stems with a mound of soil .
•These stems produce root in soil and are
removed in the following fall or spring.
•Guava, apple clonal rootstocks, mango,
quince current and gooseberry are
propagated by this method.
 Air layering (marcottage or gootee or circumposition or pot
layerage)

•It was an ancient method used to propagate a

number of tropical and sub-tropical fruits
including litchi, longan, and Persian lime (Citrus
aorantifolia).
•Air layering consist of covering the previous
years growth stem with peat moss with plastic or
polythene sheet.
•Before covering the shoots, they must be ringed
or the bark around the stem should be removed.
•The addition of growth regulators help in better
rooting.
Litchi, guava, fig and Persian lime are
propagated by this method.
 Compound/serpentine layering

•Long shoots are alternatively

covered and exposed over the
entire length is known as
compound layers.
•They normally form roots at
each node which are covered by
soil. Grapes, raspberry etc.
 Propagation through specialized plant
parts
• Runner, stolon, offsets, suckers and crown
 Propagation by grafting and budding

• In grafting and budding two parts of the stem of

are joined mechanically to form a plant. The
stem upper part is known as scion and the root
lower part is known as stock or root stock.
• These two components must be closely related
taxonomically and should be compatible.
• The scion may be a single bud (budding), or it
may have several buds (grafting).
 Components
• Scion: is short detached shoot containing buds, which when
united with stock, comprises the upper portion of the graft and
which will grow as plant.
• It should be true to type and of desired cultivar and free from
diseases and other ailments.
• Interstock: it is a piece of stem inserted by means of two graft
unions between the scion and rootstock.
• It is used as to avoid incompatibility between scion and stock to
make winter hardy or as a mean of dwarfing effect to the plant.
• Rootstock: is the lower portion of the graft, which develops the
root system of the plant (grafted).
• It may be a seedling or rooted cutting or layered (layered).
Components
 For successful grafting/budding there are five important
requirements

• The stock and scion must be compatible-within genus

• The cambial region of the scion must be placed in imitate
contact with that of stock.
• The grafting/budding operations must be done at a proper
time when the stock and scion are in proper physiological
stage.
• Immediately after the grafting/budding operation is
completed all the cut surfaces should be protected from
desiccation.
• Proper care must be given to the graft for a period of time
after grafted
 Methods
• Tongue grafting/whip
•A long sloping cut 2.5 to 6 cm is made at
the top of the stock.
•A second downward cut is made starting
one third of the distance from the tip to the
base of the first cut.
•While preparing scion a long sloping cut is
made at the base of the scion the same
length as the cut made on the stock.
•A second cut is made under the first just as
for stock.
•The stock and scion are slipped together,
the tongues interlocking.
•The graft union is then tied and waxed.
 Cleft grafting
•It is the one of oldest method of grafting and used to
topwork trees either in the trunk of a small tree or in the
scaffoled branches of a larger trees.
•The rootstock is split several cm, a straight grained
section should be used so the split will be even.
•The scion is made by cutting a long gradually tapering
wedge.
•The opposite side of the wedge should be slightly
thicker than the inside.
•The split in the stock is held open by a wedge for
insertion of the scions.
•Sometimes if stock is too thick then two scions are
inserted, one at each end of the split.
The scions must be carefully placed so the cambium
layers match and wrap with polythene sheet.
 Veneer grafting
•A piece of bark and wood about ¼ through
the rootstock is removed along one side.
•A short second downward cut is made at the
base of the first, removing a piece of the bark
and wood.
•Scion is prepared by making a long shallow
cut into one side of the stem and second short
cut is made on the opposite side.
•The scion id inserted into the rootstock so
that the cambium layers match, at least along
one side.
•The graft union is tied tightly with plastic
tape.
•The rootstock is cut back in stages to the
scion.
 Splice grafting
•It is same as the whip and
tongue grafting except that the
second or tongue cut is not
made in either rootstock or
scion.
•A simple slanting cut of the
same length and angle is made
in both the component.
•The vascular cambium layers
are matched on only one side.
The scion is placed on one side
of rootstock.
 Bark grafting
•In this method several scions are inserted into
bark of each rootstock.
•For each scion two vertical cuts 2.5 to 5 cm long
are made at the top of each of the rootstock
through the bark to the wood.
•The distance between the cuts should be equal to
the width of scion.
•A horizontal cut is made between the two vertical
cuts and most of the piece of the bark is removed.
•A small flap is left at the bottom.
•The scions are made with a long slopping cut on
one side and a shorter cut on the opposite side.
•The bark is then lifted slightly along both sides of
this cut and scion is inserted into the slot after
removal of bark.
•The end of the scion is slipped under the raised
flap of bark. Two nails are driven through the
scion, one going through the flap.
 Approach grafting
•Two independent, self sustaining plants are
grafted together.
•Seedling plant in container is set close to a
large plants of the desired variety.
•The graft union is made and tightly wrapped
with polyhthene sheet.
•After the graft union has healed, which may
take several months, the rootstock is cut off
above the graft union and the scion is
severed from the parent plant just below the
graft union.
•Approach grafting is sometimes necessary
for plants very difficult to graft by other
methods.
There are three methods of making approach
grafting namely;
•Splice approach grafting e.g in mango
•Tongued approach grafting
Inlay approach grafting
 Epicotyl grafting/nurse grafting
• This is an economical method of propagation
of large number of mango plants in lesser time.
• In this method, mango seeds are sown in
nursery beds then covered with 5.7 cm layer of
FYM.
• After germination 8-15 days old seedlings are
used as rootstock.
• The seedling is beheaded at a height of 8-10
cm from ground level and then a vertical split
25.-4.0 cm long is made in rootstock.
• The scion is selected from the current terminal
growth about 2-4 month old having pencil
thickness.
• All leaves are removed prior to 10 days of the
grafting.
• A wedge shaped cut is made on lower end of
the scion and is inserted into rootstock.
• Then union is wrapped with polythene.
• The best time in sub-tropical and tropical
region is June (before rainy season).
 Budding
• Scionwood consists
of single bud with
or without wood.
• Generally budding
is done when there
is ample sap
movement (active
growing season)
 Methods
• T-budding
•In this method a vertical cut about 2.5 cm long is made
in the stock.
•A horizontal cut is made through the bark about one-
third the distance around the stock.
•The knife is given a slight twist to open the two flaps of
bark.
•The scionbud is removed from the mother plant by
giving a slicing 1.2 cm cut below the bud, and 2.5 cm
beyond the bud.
•About 2 cm above the bud a horizontal cut is made
through the bark and into the wood, permitting the
removal of bud piece.
•The bud piece is inserted by pushing it downward
under the two flaps of bark until the horizontal cuts on
the shield and the stock are even.
The bud union is then tightly tied with some wrapping
material.
 Inverted t-budding
In areas that experience high rainfall
during the budding season, water
running down the rootstock may enter
the T-cut, soak under the bark of
stock, this prevents the shield piece
from healing into place. In the inverted
T-budding method, the rootstock has
the transverse cut at the bottom
rather then the top of the vertical cut
as in case of T-budding. Rest
procedure is same as T-budding.
 Chip budding
•A cut is made at a 450 angle about ¼
through the stock.
•About 2.5 cm (1 in.) above the first cut
a second cut is made going downward
and inward until it connects with the first
cut.
•The bud along with wood (chip) is
removed from this cut made on
rootstock.
•While preparing scion bud almost
similar cuts are made on stem of the
mother plant and the budwood is
separated.
The chip is then placed onto rootstock
and wrapped with plastic tape.
 Patch budding
•A double blade knife is used to make
two parallel horizontal cuts about one-
third the distance around the
rootstock.
•Then two vertical cuts are made
which connects the horizontal cut and
a rectangular patch of bark is removed
without wood.
•The bud is prepared as same cuts are
made as done before while preparing
rootstock and a rectangular patch of
bud along with bark is removed.
This patch of bud is then inserted onto
rootstock tightly and wrapped with
polythene sheet.
 Ring/annular budding
It is a modification of
patch budding, but patch
of flute bud has greater
circumference then
conventional patch bud.
Here ring of bud
completely wraps
around the rootstock.
 Propagation through specialized plant parts (Runner, stolon, offsets,
suckers and crown)
Sr No.
1. Runners A runner is a specialized stem that develops
from the axil of a leaf at the crown of a plant, grows
horizontally along the ground, and forms a new plant at
one of the nodes. The strawberry is typical example of
it.
2. Stolons
Stolons are modified stem that grow horizontally to the
ground and produce a prostrate or sprawling mass of
stems growing along the ground e.g .dogwood
(Cornusstolonifera).
3. Offsets
An offset is a characteristic type of lateral shoot or
branch that develops from the base of the main stem in
certain plants. This term is applied generally to a
shortened, thickened stemm of rosette like appearance
e.g. date palm, pineapple, banana.
4. Sucker
A sucker is a shoot that arises on a plant
from below ground, the most precise use
of this term is to designate a shoot that
arises from an adventitious bud on a root.
5. Crown division
The term crown as generally used in
horticulture designates that part of a plant at
the surface of the ground from which new
shoots are produced e.g. pineapple.
6. Others: corms, bulbs, rhizomes, tubers etc.