Plant Propagation Flashcards

Air layering is a propagation method best suited for:

Answer: Rooting a stem while still attached to the parent plant

Air layering wounds a stem on the parent plant, packs the wound with moist sphagnum, and wraps it to encourage roots to form before the new plant is severed.

Division as a propagation method is most commonly applied to:

Answer: Clump-forming perennials and ornamental grasses

Division splits clump-forming perennials and grasses into multiple rooted sections, rejuvenating crowded plants and quickly producing several new plants identical to the parent.

In seed propagation, the term 'germination percentage' refers to:

Answer: The proportion of seeds in a lot that successfully germinate under optimal conditions

Germination percentage indicates seed lot viability and is used to calculate seeding rates; a lower percentage means more seeds must be sown to achieve the desired plant stand.

Which grafting method is commonly used for top-working (reworking) established fruit trees with new scion wood?

Answer: Cleft grafting

Cleft grafting is used to graft scion wood onto large-diameter stubs of established trees, making it the standard method for top-working fruit trees to new varieties.

A propagation mist system benefits stem cuttings primarily by:

Answer: Maintaining high humidity to reduce transpiration water loss before roots form

Intermittent mist keeps cutting foliage wet, reducing stomatal moisture loss and preventing wilting while the cutting is rootless and unable to replace water through uptake.

Hardwood cuttings of deciduous shrubs are typically taken and propagated during which season?

Answer: Late fall to early winter during dormancy

Hardwood cuttings are made from fully lignified, dormant wood in late fall or winter, then stored or stuck in media where they slowly root during winter and spring.