Asexual reproduction (apomixes) is the formation of new individuals without involving the formation & fusion of gametes.
In this method, a single individual is capable of producing offsprings.
Offsprings produced are identical & represent the exact copies of their parents. Such morphologically & genetically similar individuals are called as clones.
Characteristics (other than above…)
It involves only mitotic division.
It involves rapid reproduction.
Unit of reproduction may be whole parent body, or a bud, or a body fragment or a single somatic cell.
In it new organisms are produced from the somatic part of parental organism, so it is also called somatogenic reproduction.
For example: It is found in lower organism like Amoeba, Paramecium, Hydra, Planaria, Salpa etc.
It is that types of asexual reproduction in which a fully grown parental organism divides into two or more than two daughter cells. It occurs only in unicellular organisms. Types of fission:-
On the basis of number of daughter cells produced, fission is of two types:
1: binary fission
2: multiple fission Binary fission:- It is division of adult parental body into to nearly equal daughter cells during favourable conditions.
For eg:- Amoeba, Euglena etc. Multiple fission :- In this type of asexual reproduction, the parent cells divides into many daughter cells, each of which grows into an adult. For eg: Plasmodium, Amoeba.
Budding:
It is that type of Asexual reproduction in which one or more unicellular or multicellular out growth, called buds are formed on or inside the body.
For eg: Hydra, yeast etc.
In yeast the division is unequal & small buds are produced that remain attached initially to the parent cell which, eventually get separated & mature into new yeast organisms.
Fragmentation:
It is that type of asexual reproduction in which the parental body breaks into two or more fragments and each fragments then form a new organism.
For eg: Slat worm, spirogyra, flatworm.
Zoospores:
Members of kingdom fungi & algae reproduce through special asexual reproductive structure called zoospores. These are flagellated, motile, naked protoplasmic bodies (without membrane) which are produced in zoosporangium.
For eg- Ulothrix.
Conidia formation:
These are non-motile spores & produced at the tip of special hyphen branches known as conidiophores.
For eg- Penicillium , Aspergillus etc.
