Clarification details
Updated May 2015. This document has been updated to address issues that have arisen from moderation.
Key messages for demonstrating understanding
- Students are not expected to carry out the practical activity for achievement of this standard.
- A minimum of three techniques are required, two asexual and one sexual at each level.
- Not all steps are required, but the student should have the majority.
- Sexual examples could include dormancy techniques such as scarification, stratification, soaking (in water or acid), rinsing, and heat treatment.
- For Merit level and above, conditions refer to either environmental or biological conditions.
- Sexual environmental conditions could include the effect of seasonality, temperature, water and oxygen availability on propagation success. Sexual biological conditions could relate to seed structural features, breaking of dormancy and the process of germination.
- Asexual environmental conditions could include the effect of seasonality on the suitability of the material, the effect of water availability and temperature on propagation success. Asexual biological conditions could include the age and suitability of the scion and rootstock, type of plant material, compatibility, the health of parent plants and precautions required to reduce the spread of disease from parent to offspring.
Not all conditions are required, but the student should have the majority. - Students need to relate plant structural features and function, and/or horticultural science concepts, in order to reach Merit and above.
- For Excellence, comparing and/or contrasting or justifying needs to be done with all of the following; quality, quantity, genetic potential, timing, and the economics of production. The answers will depend on the techniques chosen, and not all are equal. There will be aspects that are more important than others and therefore require greater focus.