One advantage of using sexual propagation is the increased resilience to disease. When plants are propagated sexually, they produce seeds that undergo genetic recombination. This process results in offspring that have a mix of genetic traits from both parent plants. The genetic diversity introduced through sexual propagation can lead to healthier populations that are better equipped to adapt to environmental stresses and resist various diseases.
This increased resilience is particularly important in horticulture, where diseases can significantly impact plant health and productivity. Diverse genetic traits within a single population can provide a greater chance for some individuals to possess natural resistance to specific pathogens, thereby enhancing the overall survival and performance of the plants.
In contrast, the other options relate to characteristics not typically associated with sexual propagation. For instance, uniformity in plant offspring is generally a feature of asexual propagation methods, while the ability to produce clones is a hallmark of asexual methods. Lower production costs are often associated with bulk propagation methods rather than the potentially more resource-intensive process of sexual propagation.