Q.

Assertion: Plants raised by vegetative propagation can bear flower and seed earlier than those produced from seeds.
Reason: Plants which have lost the capacity to bear viable seeds, can propagate through vegetative propagation.

1 Both assertion and reason are correct and reason is the correct explanation of assertion.  
2 Both assertion and reason are correct but reason is not the correct explanation of assertion.  
3 Assertion is true but Reason is false.  
4 Assertion is false but Reason is true.  

Ans.

(2)

Vegetative propagation involves using parts of the plant like stems, roots, or leaves to grow new plants. These plants are genetic clones of the parent and often reach maturity faster since they bypass the seedling stage. As a result, they can flower and potentially produce seeds earlier than seed-grown plants. Vegetative propagation is often used for plants that are difficult to grow from seeds, whether due to sterility or other factors.