Asexual Reproduction

The reproduction without the fusion of males and female's gamete is called asexual reproduction. There are five different types of asexual reproduction.

Types of Asexual Reproduction

The different types are as follows:

1. Fission
2. Budding
3. Sporulation
4. Vegetative Propagation
5. Regeneration and Fragmentation

1. Fission

The type of asexual reproduction in which an organism divides into two or more than two cells forming new organisms is called fission.

It has two types, they are:

i. Binary Fission:

In this type, an organism divides into two cells forming new organisms. It occurs under favorable conditions. Example: Amoeba, Bacteria, Diatoms, Paramecium, Euglena, e.t.c.

ii. Multiple Fission:

In this type, an organism divides into more than two cells forming new organisms. It occurs under favorable conditions. Example: Chlaymydomonous, Plasmodium (Malaria Parasite), e.t.c.

2. Budding

In this process, the formation of buds takes place in cells or bodies. It grows gradually and separately from the main body forming new. organism.

Example: Hydra, Yeast, Sponge, e.t.c.

3. Sporulation (Only on plants)

The process of asexual reproduction by the generation of spores under favorable conditions called sporulation.

Example: Mucor, Moss, Fern, Mushroom, e.t.c.

4. Vegetative Propagation

The process of growing new plants from the vegetative parts like root, stem, and leaves is called vegetative propagation.

Types:

i. Vegetative Propagation by Stem: Rose, Sugarcane, Potato, Onion, Ginger, Banana, e.t.c.

ii. Vegetative Propagation by Root: Sweet potato, Dahila, e.t.c.

iii. Vegetative Propagation by Leaf: Beyophyllum, Begonia, e.t.c.

Advantages of Vegetative Propagation

• Farmers, Botanists, and gardeners take advantage of vegetative propagation. They grow a number of plants in their field, nursery, or garden from a single plant by the process of cutting and grafting.
• Those plants which don't bear good quality seed (rose, potato, sugarcane, banana) can be reproduced by vegetative propagation.
• It is an economic and quick process.
• The rear and endangered species of plants can be conserved.
• All the offsprings are identical and parental characters are preserved.

Disadvantages of Vegetative Propagation

• The plants which reproduce by vegetative propagation have low immunity power and have a short life span.

5. Regeneration and Fragmentation

This type of asexual reproduction in which the body of an organism divides into two fragments and each fragment develops into a new organism is called fragmentation and regeneration.

Example: Spirogyra, Tapeworm, Starfish, Planaris, e.t.c.

Advantages of Asexual reproduction

• It is simple, fast and it needs only one organism so the proper environment is not required in case of sexual reproduction.
• The new plants produced by this process maintain uniformity and parental character.

Disadvantages of Asexual reproduction

• The evolution of new types of organisms isn't possible as it cannot bring variation in offspring.