Describe the importance of vegetative propagation.
Merits of vegetative propagation: Plants produced by vegetative propagation are genetically similar and constitute a uniform population called a clone. Plants with reduced power of sexual reproduction, long dormant period of seed, poor viability, etc. are multiplied by vegetative methods. Some fruit trees like banana and pineapple do not produce viable seeds. So these are propagated by only vegetative methods. It is a more rapid and easier method of propagation. Good characters are preserved by vegetative propagation. Some plants such as doob grass (Cynodon dactylon) which produce only a small quantity of seed are mostly propagated by vegetative propagation. Grafting helps in getting an economically important plant having useful characteristics of two different individuals in a short time.
