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 TOPIC:   Crop propagation and cultural practices
 CONTENT:  – Meaning of propagation
- Methods of crop propagation;
- By seed (sexual).
- By vegetative organs (asexual).
Sub Topic 1:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Meaning of propagation
 Crop propagation is the practice of increasing the number of crop plants by sowing their seeds or planting their cutting, leaves stems and roots. OR
Crop propagation is the reproduction of a new plant as an independent unit.
Propagation is primarily aimed at reproducing new young plants series methods.
 Methods of crop propagation
- By seed (sexual propagation ).
- By vegetative organs (asexual propagation).
Sexual propagation of crops: Is the production of new plants through the use of seeds.
Sexual propagation of crops involves the fertilization, that is union or joining together of male and female gametes (pollen grains and ovules) from two parents’ flowers to form the ovule which later mature to produce seeds.
Seeds are the main plant form of reproduction in sexual propagation of crops.
Characteristics of a good seed
Seeds to be propagated should have the following characteristics:
- Highly viable- containing living cotyledon or endosperm.
- Good and robust shape and size
- Early maturing- ability to grow and reach market at fast rate
- Free from pests attack.
- Well filled and free from holes
- Highly yield- has prospect to generate higher income or profit
- Hardiness – drought, pest and diseases resistance.
Examples of sexually propagated crops that are sown directly in the field
Maize, sorghum, melon, cowpea, groundnut, soya beans, okra, millet, cotton etc.
Examples of sexually propagated crops that are first raised in the nursery for sometimes and later transplanted into the field are cocoa, pepper, onion, oil palm, citrus, tomato, rice, etc.
EVALUATION
- Define the term crop propagation.
- State the two main types of crop propagation.
Sub-Topic 2:Â Â Â Â Â
Asexual propagation of crops
Asexual propagation is the reproduction of new plants from parent plant through the use of vegetative organs/parts such as the leaves, stems, roots. This method ….
