Which method of propagation uses a piece of stem, leaf, or root to generate a new plant?

• A. Seed propagation.
• B. Vegetative propagation using cuttings or layering.
• C. Grafting.
• D. Tissue culture.

Answer: (B)

Using a piece of stem, leaf, or root to generate a new plant is vegetative propagation, an asexual way to reproduce plants. Because it relies on plant parts rather than seeds, the new plant is typically a genetic clone of the parent, preserving the desirable traits you see in the original. In practice, this can take several forms: a stem cutting involves rooting a segment of stem; layering has a stem bend into the soil where roots form while still attached to the parent; leaf cuttings use a leaf or leaf part to develop a new plant; and root cuttings start from a piece of root that then grows shoots. This method is especially useful for reproducing cultivars or plants that don’t reliably set seeds. By contrast, seed propagation produces genetic variation and often requires flowering and fertilization, grafting combines tissues from two plants to graft a scion onto a rootstock, and tissue culture grows many plants from tiny tissue samples under sterile conditions.