Plant Propagation Flashcards
6 cards from real CH practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Plant Propagation flashcards as text
Runners (stolons) are a natural vegetative propagation structure found in which common landscape plant?
Answer: Strawberries and many lawn grasses
Strawberries and turfgrasses such as bermudagrass and St. Augustinegrass produce stolons — horizontal above-ground stems that root at nodes, naturally propagating the plant.
The union between rootstock and scion in a successful graft is formed by the activity of which tissue?
Answer: Cambium
The vascular cambium layers of rootstock and scion must be aligned so that callus tissue and new vascular connections form, creating a functional graft union.
Photoperiod manipulation in propagation greenhouses is used to control:
Answer: Flowering time of long-day and short-day plants
Artificially extending or interrupting the night length with supplemental lighting or black cloth allows growers to trigger or delay flowering in photoperiod-sensitive species year-round.
Bottom heat in propagation systems (typically 70–75°F media temperature) is used because:
Answer: Warm root zone temperatures accelerate callus formation and root initiation in cuttings
Enzymatic and cell division processes that produce roots are temperature-dependent; warm media (70–75°F) speeds rooting while cooler air temperatures reduce transpiration stress.
The primary advantage of vegetative (clonal) propagation over seed propagation for cultivars is:
Answer: Offspring are genetically identical to the parent, preserving cultivar traits
Vegetative propagation produces clones, ensuring that named cultivars with specific form, flower color, or disease resistance maintain those traits exactly, which is impossible through cross-pollinated seed.
In a propagation context, 'juvenility' in plant tissue refers to:
Answer: A physiological state of plant tissue associated with easier rooting and greater plasticity
Juvenile plant tissue is physiologically younger, often characterized by easier adventitious rooting, different leaf shapes, and greater growth plasticity, making it preferred for cuttings.