What method of plant reproduction produces offspring identical to the parent?

Vegetative reproduction is a method of asexual reproduction in plants that results in offspring that are genetically identical to the parent plant. This process involves the formation of new individuals from vegetative parts of the plant, such as stems, roots, or leaves. Common examples of vegetative reproduction include runners in strawberries, tubers in potatoes, and the use of cuttings in plant propagation.

In contrast, sexual reproduction involves the combination of genetic material from two parent plants through processes such as pollination and subsequent fertilization, leading to offspring that possess genetic variation. Pollination itself is merely the transfer of pollen from the male structure to the female structure of flowers and does not directly result in the formation of new plants. Grafting, on the other hand, involves joining parts from two plants together so that they grow as one, but while this can create new plants, the grafted parts can involve different genetic material. Therefore, vegetative reproduction stands out as the method that produces clones or offspring that are genetically identical to the original parent plant.