Which propagation method involves rooting a stem while it remains attached to the parent plant, as seen in tip layering and air layering?

• A. Layering
• B. Grafting
• C. Cuttings
• D. Division

Answer: (A)

Layering is a propagation method where a stem is encouraged to form roots while still attached to the parent plant. In tip layering, the tip of a stem is bent down and covered with soil or otherwise held in place so the buried part can develop roots. In air layering, a section of the stem is wounded and wrapped with moist material (often moss) and plastic to induce root formation while the stem remains connected to the parent plant. Once a healthy root system has formed, the new plant can be separated. This approach preserves the parent’s traits and can be easier for species that root poorly from cuttings. Grafting attaches a shoot to a root system rather than rooting in place; cuttings root after being detached from the parent; division splits the plant into separate, rooted parts. Layering thus best describes rooting a stem while it remains attached, as seen in tip layering and air layering.