Question

Assertion:
Asparagus can be vegetatively propagated by the stem.
Reason:
Asparagus has an unbranched swollen, underground stem having circular nodes that have buds for the growth of daughter plants.
A) Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion
B) Both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion
C) The assertion is correct but the Reason is incorrect
D) Both Assertion and Reason are incorrect

Answer 1

Plant propagation is the process in which we increase the number of plants of a particular species. Propagation can be done sexually or asexually. Horticulturalists over the years have developed an asexual mode of propagation using vegetative parts of the plant. This has made it easier for the fast multiplication of plants.

Complete answer: Types of vegetative propagation-
Cuttings- In cutting propagation a piece of the plant has been cut off from the mother plant and then made to grow into a whole new plant. Often this involves a piece of the stem that will be treated with certain hormones that will encourage them to grow roots before planting. We can also take roots that contain buds that will encourage the cutting to form shoots when it is planted onto the soil.
Grafting and budding- This involves joining a stem piece or joining a bud onto the stem of a plant that already has roots. The stem part of the bud is called scion, and the other part with roots is called the rootstock. This method is usually employed to produce fruit trees that give more than one variety of fruit from the same plant.
Hence the answer is option D, both assertion and reason are correct.

Note: Asparagus is a perennial, herbaceous plant that has stout stems and is branched intensely and has feathery foliage. Asparagus cannot be vegetatively propagated by the stem so it has to be propagated only through seeds and root division only.
The stems of asparagus do not have any circular nodes that have buds so it can be used for the propagation of daughter plants. Asparagus can’t be propagated through leaves. The root crowns of Asparagus should be one year old before they can be produced into stems. Asparagus which is produced through seeds need an extra year before they can grow. Once the asparagus is well established, we can dig up the crowns and replant them.