Question

Vegetative reproduction through leaves occurs in:

• A. Bryophyllum
• B. Potato
• C. Gram
• D. Rose

Hint:

Vegetative reproduction via leaves is characteristic of Bryophyllum due to the presence of adventitious buds on its leaf margins.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Bryophyllum is a well-known example of a plant that reproduces vegetatively through its leaves. This process occurs when small buds or plantlets develop from the
notches or edges of the leaf margins. These plantlets contain miniature roots and shoots, and once they grow to a certain size, they detach from the parent leaf and fall to the ground where they can develop into independent plants. This form of reproduction is called
vegetative propagation through leaves and allows the plant to reproduce rapidly without the need for seeds or sexual reproduction. This method has several advantages:

It ensures the offspring are genetically identical to the parent plant.
It enables the plant to colonize an area quickly.
It does not require pollination or seed germination, which can be limiting under certain environmental conditions.
On the other hand,
potato reproduces vegetatively through specialized underground structures called
tubers. Tubers are swollen portions of the stem that store nutrients and energy in the form of starch. Each tuber has several "eyes," which are actually buds capable of sprouting new shoots. When planted, these buds grow into new potato plants. It is important to note that tubers are modified
stem structures, not leaves, distinguishing this mode of propagation from that of Bryophyllum. The key differences between these two methods of vegetative propagation are:

Bryophyllum propagates via
leaves, producing plantlets at the leaf margins.
Potato propagates via
stem tubers, which serve as storage organs and also as means for asexual reproduction.
This diversity in vegetative propagation methods illustrates how plants have evolved various strategies to reproduce asexually and ensure survival in different environments. In summary, while Bryophyllum reproduces vegetatively through leaf-borne plantlets, potatoes reproduce through stem tubers. Both methods bypass sexual reproduction, allowing plants to multiply efficiently.