Question

Observe the given diagram and answer the questions that follow:

1. Give the name and type of reproduction shown in the above diagram.
2. Comment on the processes taking place in stage P.
3. Name an organism which reproduces by the above mentioned method.
4. Name the method that can be used to raise plants that have lost their capacity to produce seeds. List any two advantages of growing plants by such a method.

Answer 1

1. Name: Multiple fission
   Type: Asexual Reproduction.
2. In stage P, the following processes occur:
   • The parent cell develops a thick protective wall called a cyst to survive unfavorable conditions.
   • The nucleus inside the cyst divides repeatedly by amitosis or mitosis to form many daughter nuclei.
   • A small amount of cytoplasm then surrounds each daughter nucleus, resulting in the formation of many tiny daughter cells within the single parent cyst.
3. An organism that reproduces by multiple fission is Plasmodium (the malarial parasite).
4. The method used to raise plants that have lost their capacity to produce seeds is Vegetative Propagation.
   
   Advantages of Vegetative Propagation:
   • Preservation of Traits: It ensures the production of plants that are genetically identical to the parent, maintaining desirable characteristics (genetic uniformity).
   • Faster Growth: Plants raised this way generally bear flowers and fruits much earlier than those grown from seeds.
   • Reliability: It allows for the certain propagation of plants that do not produce viable seeds, such as seedless bananas, jasmine, or roses.