John Ivan I.

Pasquil
AB-5R
EXER 4
ASEXUAL PROPAGATION AND NURSERY PRACTICES
1. Define or describe the following terms:
A. Nursery a place where plants are grown and propagated for transplanting, for use
as stocks for budding and grafting, or for sale.
B. Balling digging the seedlings with ball of soil still intact with roots
C. Hardening the process of gradually acclimatizing greenhouse or indoor plants to
outdoor temperature, and growing conditions.
D. Bagging or potting transplanting to individual bags or pots with soil containing
nutrients
E. Scion a detached shoot or twig containing buds from a woody plant which
is grafted onto the stock
F. Rootstock a part of a plant, often an underground part, from which new above-
ground growth can be produced.
2. Complete the following table.
Modified plant part Definition or description Examples
A. Bulb Fleshy leaves or leaf bases
that function as food
storage organs during
dormancy.
Onion, garlic, lily
B. Bulbil Plantlets formed on the
axils of the leaves on flower
stalk.
Agave, tulip, garlic
C. Corm Underground solid
structures having nodes
Banana, gabi, abaca
and internodes.
D. Cormel Plantlets that arise from
stem.
Taro, banana, yam
E. Crown Leafy shoots that arise from
the top of a fruit.
Pineapple
F. Plantlet Small plants that arise from
leaves that may be grown
as a new plant.
Katakataka, dendrobium,
phalaenopsis
G. Rhizome A modified stem growing
horizontally underground.
Ginger, arrowroot, heliconia
H. Rootstock Can refer to a rhizome or
underground stem.
Mango, tamarind, santol
I. Runner Specialized stems which
arise from the leaf axils and
form roots on their own.
Strawberry, blackpepper,
fern
J. Slip Leafy shoots that arise from
axillary bud at the base of
the fruit.
Pineapple
K. Sucker Adventitious leafy shoots
that arise from the stem
base or below the ground.
Banana, abaca, anthurium
L. Tuber Underground thickened
stem with numerous buds
called eyes.
Potato, cassava, taro
M. Tuberous root Modified roots that serve
as main storage organ of
the plant.
Radish, singkamas, winged
bean

3. What will happen to the plants vascular bundles if a dull knife is used in graftage
or cuttage?

The dull knife will cause a lot of tissue damage, and the graft or cut will not heal
properly.

4. What are some of the desirable characteristics that should be considered in the
selection of rootstock?

Resistant to present and potential soil pests.
Suitable for the soils texture, depth, and fertility.
Compatible with soil chemistry.
Favored for the anticipated soil and water availability, drainage, and irrigation
practice.
Appropriate for the fruiting varietys grown and fruiting characteristics.
Properly grown and healthy.
Well-developed root system.

5. Give physical or visual descriptions of the cambium layer. Discuss why it is scraped
off in marcotting. However, in graftage, effort is taken that the cambium layer of
the stock and the scion matches?
The cambium is a thin formative layer between the xylem and phloem of most vascular
plants that give rise to new cells and responsible for secondary growth.
Because in marcotting, the wound is prevented from healing and from the reconnecting
of the upper and lower barks. Additionally, the cambium layer is scraped off in order to
expose the pericycle which is the site of lateral root formation. While in grafting, the stock
and scion should match so that they will regenerate as one.
6. What is polarity and why is it important in plant propagation?
Polarity is the ability of the plant to maintain their spatial orientation when separated
from the mother plant.
It is important in plant propagation because it prevents error in the direction of growth
of the plant. For example in grafting, the scion, which came from another plant, follows the
orientation of its new mother plant or the rootstock.
7. In relation to crop protection, what is the distinct advantage of tissue culture over
other methods of asexual propagation?
The plant is grown in a controlled and favorable environment compared to the other
methods of asexual propagation. Because of this, asexual propagation is more prone to
infection and diseases than the tissue culture. Thus, tissue culture is more advantageous
than the other methods of asexual propagation.

Narrative Report
We potted three sets of seedlings in a black plastic bags. We collected soil that are already
prepared with its mixture with the coirdust, which is beneficial for the seedlings. We are taught on how
to fill up the bags and to plant the seedlings properly. It is quite easy because all we had to do is to fill
the bags with soil and transplant the seedlings.
After transplanting, we had a practicum in performing cleft drafting on a mango plant. Each of
us are given a scion, rootstock, a knife, and a plastic sheet. I cut the rootstock above that part where the
union is to occur. After that, I cut the terminal part of the rootstock to form a vertical v shape where
the scion will be attached. I covered the scion with a plastic sheet, leaving the terminal bud and its other
end. I cut the basal end of the scion into a wedge, or a long V shape with the knife. It is difficult
because Im afraid of the knife and Im not that great in using it. The caretakers noted that the vascular
tissues should not be touched to prevent infection that may inhibit its regeneration and growth. After
that, I made a vertical slit in the center of the root stock and inserted the wedge if the scion and finally
cover the grafted shoot with the plastic sheets.
After grafting, we went to the demonstration on tissue culture. We are taught on the basic
principles of tissue culture and transplanting the plantlets to another media. We also had a practicum in
transplanting the plantlets. We went inside the nursery. The place is clean and we are instructed not to
wear our shoes or slippers inside the room. The instruction is to transfer at least 15 plantlets to another
medium. It is slightly easy, but you should be careful about the environment. The key is to always
sterilize the opening of the containers, and the long spoon to prevent contamination and infection of
the medium.