What is the propagation method that involves bending an attached stem to the ground and covering part of it with soil to encourage rooting?

• A. Simple layering
• B. Stem cutting
• C. Bark grafting
• D. Tissue culture

Answer: (A)

Layering works by letting roots form on a stem while it’s still attached to the parent plant. In this method, a flexible stem is bent down to the soil and a portion of it is covered with soil, leaving a section exposed. The buried part develops roots while the connection to the parent plant remains intact, so the new plant draws water and nutrients from the parent as it establishes its own root system. Once roots are established, the young plant can be separated.

This is different from stem cuttings, where you cut a piece off and root it independently without staying attached to the parent. Bark grafting is a type of grafting where tissue is joined from different plants to combine traits, not about rooting a buried stem for propagation. Tissue culture grows plants from tiny tissue samples in sterile lab conditions, a very different, highly controlled process.