Grafting (e.g. of fruit trees) is performed because:
AGrafting is cheaper than seeds
BGrafting is purely traditional with no advantage
CGrafted plants grow faster than natural plants
DGrafting combines the strong rootstock of one variety with the desirable fruit-bearing properties of another — and reliably reproduces the fruit type, which would not be guaranteed by planting a seed
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. Grafting combines the strong rootstock of one variety with the desirable fruit-bearing properties of another — and reliably reproduces the fruit type, which would not be guaranteed by planting a seed
Grafting joins a desirable variety (the scion) onto a hardy rootstock. The scion's fruits are genetically identical to its parent (since grafting is asexual), so a tasty apple variety always produces tasty apples. If you planted the seed of that apple, sexual recombination would produce an unpredictable mix. Grafting also lets growers combine pest-resistant rootstocks with high-quality fruit cultivars.
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