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Lesson: Chapter 14 — Continuity of Life

14.2. Artificial vegetative propagation 11 of 11

Question 11

A farmer has one mango tree that fruits well. Why graft from it rather than plant its seeds?

The right answer is the one marked above.

A graft is that tree and fruits sooner; a seed gives a mixture of it and whatever pollinated it. For a crop being sold, that certainty is usually worth more than the variety.

“A graft produces new varieties, which a seed cannot” is exactly backwards: new varieties come from seed, and "no new varieties arise" is the one disadvantage of vegetative propagation. So is a longer lifespan — a shorter lifespan is one of grafting's listed drawbacks, along with lower timber value and lower yield per season.

Answer the question to continue.