Which of the following is NOT a method used for cloning plants?

• A. Grafting
• B. Seeds
• C. Cuttings
• D. Runners

Answer: (B)

Cloning in plants relies on vegetative propagation to produce genetically identical copies of the parent plant. Grafting transfers tissue from one plant onto another to grow as a clone of the original variety. Cuttings involve rooting a piece of stem or other tissue so the new plant is a genetic copy of the parent. Runners, or stolons, spread and form new plantlets that arise from the parent plant’s tissues, resulting in genetically identical offspring. Seeds, however, come from sexual reproduction, involving fertilization and genetic recombination, which creates offspring with new combinations of genes rather than an exact copy. So seeds are not a cloning method.