WAEC Agricultural Science 1992 Question 34

Question 34

Crop Propagation

Which of the following methods would quickly provide a large harvest of oranges from a tree with desirable qualities?

  1. A.Planting the seeds of the plant with the desirable qualities
  2. B.Crossing orange trees with those of desirable qualities
  3. C.Applying special fertilizer to the other citrus trees
  4. D.Grafting a branch from the tree with desirable qualities to the stock of other citrus trees
  5. E.Planting the stem cuttings of the orange tree with desirable qualities.
Show the answer and explanation

Answer: D (Grafting a branch from the tree with desirable qualities to the stock of other citrus trees)

Explanation

Grafting copies the good tree exactly and the grafted plant fruits early on an established rootstock.