1. Asexual and Sexual Reproduction
Plant Propagation Lab
Asexual and Sexual Reproduction

2. Purpose
To observe the actual differences between sexual and asexual propagations.
To learn how to propagating stem cuttings by asexual propagation and conduct methods of sexual propagation.

3. Materials
Two Healthy Mature Mother Plants (Can be a house plant or landscape plant)
Seeds
Potting Soil
Labels
Marker
2 Six Packs per person
Optional: Rooting Hormone

4. Procedure (Steps): General: Fill the six pack with soil media
Use a pencil to form holes in the soil media to allow for easy in planting.

5. Procedure (Steps): Part A:
Place 1 seed 1/2 inch deep in the soil, evenly spaced on one side of the six pack, repeat two more times to fill one half of the six pack.
Label the pack with your NAME, DATE and the SEEDS used.
Remove at least one seed each day to observe the stages of germination. Replant seed after observations are taken.

6. Procedure (Steps): Part B:
Cut a short piece of stem at a 45 degree angle ¼ inch below a leaf, bud of side shoot from the donor plant, should be about 2-4 inches long.
Remove leaves from the lowest node and any blooms on the cutting
The basal end of the cutting may be dusted with rooting hormone
Place it into soil media at a depth of approximately 1 inch and gently press media around cutting.
Take a total of three cuttings.
Label this side of the six pack with your NAME, DATE and PLANT NAME and TYPE OF CUTTING.
Water each pot and place with others on a table in the greenhouse.
Keep soil moist.

7. Stem Cuttings

8. Observations
Depending on the plants used and the temperature, roots should be observed on the stem in approximately 3-4 weeks.
Check for roots by pulling out cutting.
Immature root system= roots don’t hold soil, so soil crumbles in hand.
Root bound= roots coiled tightly around soil.
Mature root system= roots hold soil and the soil does not crumble in hand
Ideal and ready to transplant.
How many days did it take for the seed to germinate? Cutting to Root?
What was the germination percentage for the seeds? (Divide the number of seeds that germinated by the number of seeds planted.)
What was the rooting percentage of the cuttings?
What environmental conditions were present that enabled the seeds to germinate or roots to develop.
Compare and contrast your percentages with another person in class.

9. Conclusion
Accept or Reject Hypothesis
Summary based on observations

10. Keys to successful cuttings…
Know the parts of a plant
Use a rooting hormone. Rooting hormone reacts with newly formed cells and encourages the plants to make roots faster
Early morning is the best time to take cuttings
Make clean cuts
Plant at proper depth in medium.
Supply cutting with moisture and nutrients in early stages of growth.

11. What to avoid when taking cuttings…
Branches that look sick
Branches that are heavily shaded by the rest of the plant
Very old branches with thick bark
Very young, weak tips-may rot under mist