You should always plant cuttings using the correct or natural polarity. Group of answer choices True False
The correct answer and explanation is:
Correct Answer: True
Planting cuttings using the correct or natural polarity is essential for successful propagation. Polarity refers to the orientation of the cutting relative to how it originally grew on the parent plant. The top end of the cutting, which was closest to the growing tip or shoot apex, should remain the top, and the bottom end, which was attached to the roots or base of the plant, should be inserted into the soil. Reversing this orientation can lead to failed rooting and even death of the cutting.
In most vascular plants, the direction of nutrient and hormone flow depends on the plant’s natural polarity. Auxins, for example, are hormones that travel from the shoot tip toward the base and are crucial for root development in cuttings. If a cutting is planted upside down, the natural hormone flow is disrupted, and this interferes with root formation. Additionally, water transport within the plant is also directional. The xylem and phloem tissues are aligned for upward and downward flow, respectively, and turning a cutting upside down can prevent proper water uptake.
Correct polarity also ensures that the physiological processes such as phototropism (growth toward light) and gravitropism (growth in response to gravity) continue normally. Cuttings with reversed polarity may show signs of stress such as wilting, discoloration, or failure to sprout.
For most herbaceous and woody plants, observing and maintaining the natural polarity during planting is a standard horticultural practice. Gardeners often make a slanted cut on the bottom and a straight cut on the top to help remember orientation. In conclusion, planting cuttings with the correct polarity improves the chances of successful rooting and healthy plant development.