Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding vegetative propagation of plants?

Correct Option (c):

Statement 1 is correct. Vegetative propagation is an asexual reproductive method where new plants develop from a single parent's vegetative parts (stem, root, leaf). The absence of gamete fusion results in offspring that are genetically identical to the parent, thus forming a clonal population.

Statement 3 is correct. Vegetative propagation can be practiced for a significant portion of the year, and often year-round under controlled conditions like those in nurseries or greenhouses. This offers flexibility in plant multiplication compared to seasonal seed propagation.

Incorrect Options:

Statement 2 is incorrect. Vegetative propagation does not inherently eliminate viruses. If the parent plant is infected, the virus is typically transmitted to the new plant through the vegetative propagule. While specialized techniques like meristem culture can produce virus-free plants, this is not a general characteristic of all vegetative propagation methods.

Option (a) is incorrect because it only includes statement 1, while statement 3 is also correct.

Option (b) is incorrect because it includes statement 2, which is false.

Option (d) is incorrect because it includes statement 2, which is false.