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NDA Biology · Plant Biology

Vegetative Propagation

Vegetative propagation is growing a new plant from a vegetative part (root, stem, leaf) without seeds — potato propagates through its eye buds.

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Why this matters

1 PYQ, EASY. Vegetative propagation is asexual reproduction in plants from a non-seed part. The one tested example: potato grows new plants from its 'eyes' (axillary buds on the tuber).

Concept 1 of 1

Vegetative propagation — the organs that do it

Intuition

Some plants skip seeds entirely and grow a whole new plant from a vegetative part. Each plant uses a particular organ: the potato uses the eye buds on its tuber, ginger uses its rhizome, onion uses its bulb. Match the plant to its propagating part.

Definition

Vegetative propagation is asexual reproduction in plants from a vegetative part (root, stem or leaf) — no seeds, no fertilisation, so the offspring is genetically identical to the parent. Common examples:

  • Potato — propagates through eye buds (axillary buds in the depressions of the stem tuber).
  • Ginger — through its rhizome (underground stem).
  • Onion — through its bulb.
  • Sugarcane — through stem cuttings (nodes).
PlantPropagating part
PotatoEye buds (on the tuber)
Vegetative propagation through eye buds = potato (NDA 2024).
GingerRhizome (underground stem)
OnionBulb
SugarcaneStem cuttings (nodes)
Eye buds = potato; rhizome = ginger; bulb = onion; stem cuttings = sugarcane.
Practice this conceptself-check · 3 quick reps

Try it yourself

A farmer plants pieces of a tuber, each with a small 'eye', and new plants sprout. Which crop is this, and what are the eyes?

Practice — Level 1 (3 reps)

Quick reps to lock in the method. Try each, then check.

  1. 1.
    Which plant propagates through eye buds?
  2. 2.
    Ginger propagates through which structure?
  3. 3.
    Is vegetative propagation sexual or asexual?

From the bank · past-year question

Example 1Plant BiologyEASY
In which one among the following the vegetative propagation takes place through Eye Buds ?

[Q55 · Sep · 2024]

Eye buds = potato

Propagation through 'eye buds' is potato (buds on the tuber). Ginger uses a rhizome, onion uses a bulb, sugarcane uses stem cuttings — don't confuse the propagating organ with the plant.

Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance

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Reference tables (1)

Vegetative propagation — the organs that do it4 rows
PlantPropagating part
PotatoEye buds (on the tuber)
Vegetative propagation through eye buds = potato (NDA 2024).
GingerRhizome (underground stem)
OnionBulb
SugarcaneStem cuttings (nodes)
Eye buds = potato; rhizome = ginger; bulb = onion; stem cuttings = sugarcane.

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