Asexual reproduction:- When single parent produces offspring without the involvement of gamete formation . Such offspring is morphologically and genetically similar to the parent.

Types of asexual reproduction:

a.  Binary fission: In Monerans and protists the single celled organisms divide equally to form two daughter cells.

e.g., Amoeba , Paramoecium

b.  Multiple fission : When an organism divides to form many daughter organisms .

e.g., Plasmodium.

c.  Budding : When parent organism gives rise to a small projection called the bud. The bud increases in size and gets detached from parent organism and matures into new organism.

e.g., Yeast & Hydra.

d.  Gemmule formation : In sponges a large number of buds are formed inside the body which are called gemmules . Gemmules are small bodies which consist of a mass of undifferentiated cells surrounded by protective covering of spicules and sycon.

e. Fragmentation : When parent body breaks into two or more pieces due to water current. Each piece or fragment develops to form new parent.

e.g., spirogyra ,sponges, flatworms. 

f. Vegetative propagules : In higher plants the vegetative parts are used to raise new plants.These vegetative parts are called propagules ,

these are as below 

(i)  Runner in Oxalis ad Marsilea

(ii)  Rhizome in ginger and turmeric

(iii)  Sucker in banana, pineapple,mint,etc

(iv) Tuber in Potato(EYES)

(v)  Offset in water hyacinth and pistia 

(vi)  Bulb in onion and Garlic.

(vii)  Leaf buds in bryophyllum

(viii)  Bulbil in Agave

g. Zoospores and conidia formation: In certain algae and fungi, asexual reproduction takes place by specialized reproduction structures called zoospores. Zoospores are flagellated oval structures.

e.g., Chlamydomonas.

In Aspergillus and penicillium a chain of non motile small spores are formed on fungal hyphae – Conidiophores. These small spores are called conidia which on return of favourable conditions germinate to form new plant body.