brotación

Brotación is a biological process in which a new individual arises as an outgrowth or bud from a parent organism, typically resulting in a genetically identical clone. The term, derived from the Spanish word for bud, describes several forms of asexual reproduction across different groups of life.

In plants, brotación involves the outgrowth of buds that can develop into shoots, roots, or even separate plantlets. Buds may form at apical or lateral positions, or adventitiously on roots or stems. In horticulture, budding is also a controlled propagation technique in which a bud is grafted onto another plant to produce a new specimen, a common method for propagating fruit trees and ornamentals.

In fungi and yeasts, budding is a primary mode of asexual reproduction. A small protrusion forms on the parental cell, enlarges, and eventually separates to become a new, genetically identical individual. This process is governed by cellular polarity, growth patterns, and the cell cycle.

Some animals and cnidarians, such as hydra and certain corals, also reproduce by budding, where a part of the organism grows into a new individual that can detach or remain attached as part of a colony.

Significance and limitations: brotación allows rapid population expansion and clonal propagation under favorable conditions, contributing to survival and colonization. However, because offspring are clones, genetic diversity is reduced, which can limit adaptation to changing environments.