VEGETATIVE PROPAGATION OF SPECIES OF GENUS ALLIUM L

The genus Allium L. consists of about 500 species in the Northern hemisphere and includes a large number of useful plants. The highly variable underground organs of Allium species - rhizomes and bulbs - have the function of storing food and moisture in severe environmental conditions. Their other very important function - vegetative reproduction and propagation - increases the chances of survival and supports the genetic stability of natural populations. Among about 40 species studied, 5 types of vegetative reproduction and propagation are distinguishable. The formation of apical buds, daughter bulblets, stolons and apomictic bulblets in the inflorescense have been observed. There is possibly some connection between vegetative propagation, morphological type and life cycle. The process of evolution within the genus and the migration of species to arid conditions lead possibly to the appearance in phylogenesis of prevalence of seminal reproduction over vegetative propagation.