ASEXUAL

REPRODUCTION
-KHUSHI SHAH
 INTRODUCTION
Process resulting in production of genetically identical offspring from one parent without involving gametes(sex
cells).
Involves either cell division and each cell becomes independent organism or part of body growing and
developing into separate individual.

TYPES OF ASEXUAL
REPRODUCTION

01 In bacteria or protoctista KEY IDEAS OF ASEXUAL

REPRODUCTION

No fusion of gametes involved IMPORTANT- MITOSIS

02 In fungi

Only one parent required

Form of nuclear division producing

daughter nuclei that contain same
Offsprings (clones) are genetically
number of chromosomes as the parent

03
In flowering plants or identical
nucleus. Daughter nuclei are
vegetative propagation

genetically identical.
stolons and rhizoms Relatively quicker method than sexual

reproduction
bulbs and corms 1 nuclear division

04 In animals
2 daughter cells each with same
chromosome number as parent cell

Important for
Producing genetically identical cells
Growth
Repair of worn out body parts
Asexual reproduction

 FUNGI

02 Haploid spores ---- > dispersion----> hyphae----> mycelium

Fungi produce single celled haploid spores which are dispersed mainly by
air currents. when they reach a suitable location they grow into new
hyphae(branching filaments) which eventually develop into mycelium. 2
examples are penicillium and Mucor which grow on decaying food, or
damp leather. The mycelium or mould fungi grows over food to digest
nutrients and absorb.

Penicillium: Mucor:
vertical hyphae grow from mycelium and spherical sporangia which contain hundreds
produce spore chains at tips. of spores

Dispersed by air currents to grow again. Dispersed by insects or rain drop splashes

Give blue green colour and powdery Puffballs release cloud of spores.
appearance Gills on lower side of mushrooms produce
spores.
Single celled yeast reproduce by binary fission. The division
of an organism in two individuals.
The reproduction by this organism is simple and is done by
unequal division of genetic material. The material is
distributed to the small bud which remains attached to the
parent cell initially and eventually gets separated and go
through maturation.
FLOWERING Usually, during natural asexual reproduction, lateral bud grows on step close to or under the soil (to
obtain nutrients easily). Instead of just a branch, a complete plant with root stem leaves produced
by bud. When old stem dies, new plant is independent. (such as potatoes which are stem tubers-
PLANTS the structures involved also become storage organs and swell with stored food)

Stolon (strawberry, buttercup): Rhizome (couch grass, bracken):

The flowering shoots are very short plants In many plants, horizontal shoots from lateral buds near the
Stems of shoots = rootstocks stem base grow
Rootstocks bears = leaves and flowers under the ground=Rhizomes
After main shoot has flowered, lateral buds produce long horizontal
shoots= stolons or runners Rhizome, like stolons, have buds that can produce new
Stolons have only small, scale leaves and very long internodes entire plants
Eventually rhizome dries up and withers. Daughter plant is
Each node has a bud that can produce shoot + roots = entire plant independent
Young new plant nourished by mother plant through stolon Asexual reproduction has taken place. Short distance from
mother plant
Eventually stolon dries up and withers and Daughter plant is

independent

Asexual reproduction has taken place. Short distance from mother

plant

Bulbs (daffodils, lily): Corms (crocus, colocasia):

similar cycle as bulb, but the stem which
Have very short stems- few mm long- and the leaves swells with food not leaf.
develop around it and are thick and fleshy with stored Short and fat stem, asexual
food. reproduction occurs when lateral bud
Stored food used by rapidly growing terminal bud. food placed here grows into independent
from leaves sent to leaf bases for next years growth. plant. Many times organs also store
Asexual reproduction occurs when food sent to lateral bud food. A potato does this through
which grows inside parent bulb to produce independent production o rhizomes from lateral buds.
plant next year.

 IN ANIMALS
For some invertebrate animal species.

BACTERIA

Reproduction by cell division(binary

fission). 1 bacterial cell divides into 2
and each daughter cell grows and

HYDRA becomes individual bacterium. This

happens in very short time(around 20
mins) which explains why they can
heavily contaminate food products.
5-10 mm long

Lives in ponds, attached to pondweed

Traps small animals with tentacles and swallows

Sexual: male and female gamete released in water

Asexual: Budding process or fragmentation. Tentacle

column has a small bulge(bud). This bud eventually
elongates and grows to finally break away to form a clone
and become independent.
 ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
No mate needed Lack of diversity- little variation- so unlikely to adapt to

changing environment(evolution unlikely)
Lesser energy required- energy efficient

prone to extinction- if parent has no resistance to disease,
Faster than sexual reproduction- so can dominate an area as all genetically identical
quickly

Lack of dispersal(with eg potato tubers) can lead to
No gametes required domination for nutrients, water, and sunlight

Plants usually store large food amounts which will allow

rapid growth when condition suitable

All good characteristics of parent passed to offspring-

uniform crops and stable variety

When no dispersal(with eg potato tubers)

offspring will grow in same favourable environment as
parent

FINAL NOTES
Dispersal
A plant reproducing asexually will already be growing in favourable environment.
No dispersal advantage- dense colonies of same plant so little room for competitors of
other species
No dispersal disadvantage- dense colonies also means more competition between plants
for nutrients from soil.

Artificial
propagation

to produce fresh plant stock - 2 methods

Cutting: Take cuttings (small sections of tissue) from good
healthy parent plants and then plant the cuttings in compost
containing hormones to produce genetically identical copies of
the parent plants.
Method
The best tissue for this technique is obtained by slicing cuttings
from fast-growing root or shoot tips (meristems tissues) or a
cutting with a bud on it.
The cutting then grows into a new plant in composting material.
Hormone rooting powders are used to promote growth and they
contain synthetic auxin hormones like NAA which promotes
growth of new roots from the cutting.
Tissue culture: Once cell has become a part of a tissue it loses Food
ability to reproduce. However the cell nucleus still holds all storage
reproduction instructions so in some situations this can be
brought back in action.
The small plant tissue piece is either treated with enzymes and food stored in tubers, tap roots, bulbs
plant growth substances or placed on a nutrient jelly where they
etc. and allows plant to rapidly grow
form shapeless mass callus which eventually develops into a full
plant. when conditions suitable. This early
growth allows plant to produce seeds
can produce many plants quickly and with desirable traits before it needs to compete with other
free from fungal or bacterial infection
for clones
plants for nutrients.