Plant Propagation: Grafting and Vegetative Techniques

<h3>Two Ways to Make New Plants</h3><p>Plants can be propagated in two main ways. <strong>Sexual propagation</strong> uses <strong>seeds</strong>, while <strong>vegetative (asexual) propagation</strong> uses parts of a parent plant such as stems, roots or buds. Vegetative methods produce plants that are <strong>identical</strong> to the parent and often start fruiting sooner.</p><h3>Grafting</h3><p><strong>Grafting</strong> joins two plants so they grow as one. The upper part, the <strong>scion</strong>, comes from a plant with desirable fruit; the lower part, the <strong>rootstock</strong>, provides a strong, often disease-resistant root system. The cut surfaces are matched so their growing layers (cambium) touch, bound firmly, and allowed to heal together.</p><h3>Why Farmers Graft</h3><ul><li>Combines good fruit quality with a hardy, disease-resistant root.</li><li>Plants mature and bear fruit faster than from seed.</li><li>Produces uniform plants true to the chosen variety.</li><li>Allows growing varieties that do not breed true from seed.</li></ul><h3>Other Vegetative Methods</h3><p><strong>Cuttings</strong> (e.g. cassava, sugarcane), <strong>layering</strong>, <strong>budding</strong>, <strong>suckers</strong> (banana) and <strong>tubers</strong> (Irish potato) are other vegetative techniques.</p><div class="callout"><strong>Kenyan context:</strong> In Makueni and Murang'a, farmers buy <em>grafted mango and avocado seedlings</em> from certified nurseries. A grafted Apple-mango tree can fruit in 3–4 years instead of 7–8 from seed, and the improved fruit fetches a higher price at markets and for export, boosting household income.</div>