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HOW DO ORGANISMS REPRODUCE
 Reproduction is the process by which living organisms produce new individuals similar to themselves. It ensures
continuity of life on earth.
 Reproduction is necessary for the survival and increase in the population of a species. If organisms do not
reproduce, their population decreases and species will become extinct.
Significance of Reproduction:
1. It allows continuity of of a species generation after generation.
2.It plays an important role in evolution by transmitting favorable variations from one generation to another
generation.
What is the importance of DNA copying in reproduction?
Ans: The importance of DNA copying during reproduction is that:
(i) It is responsible for the transmission of parental characteristic to its offsprings.
(ii) DNA copying always involves some variation, hence DNA copies generated are similar but not identical. this
tendency of variation during reproduction leads to evolution.
The importance of variation :-
 DNA copying during reproduction is important for maintaining the body designs of different organisms to survive in
the existing environment. But the environment is constantly changing due to changes in temperature, climate,
water levels etc. If organisms cannot adjust themselves to the changes in the environment then their species will
become extinct.
 If there are variations in some individuals of a species they may be able to survive the changes in the environment.
So variations in species is necessary for the survival of different species and for the evolution of new species.
Types of Reproduction
Asexual Reproduction Sexual Reproduction
→ A single individual give rise to new individual. → Two individuals i.e., one male and one female
are needed to give rise to new individual.
→ Gametes are not formed.
→ New individual is identical to parent. → Gametes are formed.
→ New individual is genetically similar but not
→ It is extremely useful as a means of rapid identical to parents.
multiplication. → It is useful to generate more variations in
→ Adopted by lower organisms species.
→ Adopted by higher organisms.
FISSION :-
Fission is an asexual reproduction by which a unicellular organism divides and forms two or more new individuals.
Fission is of two types. They are binary fission and multiple fission.
i) Binary fission :- In this method an organism divides and forms two individuals. First the nucleus divides and
forms two nuclei. Then the cytoplasm divides and forms two daughter cells. Eg:- Amoeba, Paramaecium etc.
In some of the organism like Leishmania (which cause kala-azar) longitudinal binary fission can be seen.where as
paramecium shows transverse binary fission.
Leishmania dividing
ii) Multiple fission :- In this method one organism divides into many daughter cells. Eg.Plasmodium (Malarial
parasite).
Fragmentation
 In this method the body of a simple multicellular organism
breaks up into smaller pieces on maturation and each fragment
develops into new individuals.
 Eg :- Spirogyra, Flatwom.
 However, all multicellular organisms cannot show cell-by-cell
division as cells from tissues which form organs. These organs
are placed at definite positions in the body. Hence, they need to
use more complex methods of reproduction.
REGENERATION
 If organism is somehow cut or broken into many pieces, each piece grows into a
complete organism.
 Example: Planaria, Hydra.
BUDDING
 A bud is formed which develops into tiny individual. It
detaches from parent body upon maturation and
develops into new individual.
 Example: Hydra
SPORE FORMATION
 In this method structures called sporangia produce tiny cells called
spores. When the spores come in contact with a moist surface, it
develops into new individuals.
 Eg :- Rhizopus(Bread mould) , Mucor, Penicillium etc.
VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION
→ In many plants, new plants develops from vegetative parts such as:
 By roots: Example: dahlias, sweet potato.
 By stem: Example: potato, ginger.
 • By leaves: Example: bryophyllum (leaf notches bear buds which
develop into plants).
ARTIFICIAL VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION

Vegetative propagation can also be done artificially by cutting,
layering, grafting etc.
 Cutting - Rose, Chrysanthum, Grapes etc.
 Layering - lemon, Guava, Hibiscus, Bougainvillea, Jasmine, Rasberry, Strawberry etc.
 Grafting – this method is applied to improve variety of fruits like mango, apples, peas, etc
Advantages of vegetative propagation:-
1. Plants takes less time to grow.
2. It also helps in the propagation of plants which do not produce seeds like rose, jasmine, banana or produce seed
with prolonged period of dormancy.
Disadvantages of vegetative propagation:
1. There is no genetic variation, so there is less adaptibility to the environment.
2. The disease of the parent plants get transferred to the offspring.
3. New characters can neither be introduced nor undesirable characters be eliminated.
TISSUE CULTURE:
In this method new plants are grown by removing tissues or cells from the growing tip of a plant. in this technique cells
are induced to devide artificially by chemicals(Cytokinin) to form a group of cells called „callus‟. Now the callus is
transferred to another medium containing hormones for growth and differentiation. the plantlets are now placed in soil,
so that grow into mature plants. This technique is commonly used for ornamental plants.
ADVANTAGES OF ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION:

 The organism does not have to depend on another organism for reproduction; as a single parent is needed.
 It takes less time than sexual reproduction and hence more number of offspring can be produced in shorter
time.
 The offspring are exact clones of their parent.
 Desirable characteristics can be easily incorporated into plants with artificial vegetative propagation.
DISADVANTAGES OF ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION:
 As a single parent is involved, so there is negligible chance of variation.
 In most of the cases in simple organisms, the parent generation ceases to exist after asexual reproduction.
 Asexual reproduction cannot give rise to biodiversity which is important for a healthy ecosystem.

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HOW DO ORGANISMS REPRODUCE

Asexual Reproduction Sexual Reproduction

ARTIFICIAL VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION

ADVANTAGES OF ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION:

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