What is the process called in which a cell grows on the parent organism before breaking off to form a new organism?

The process in which a cell grows on a parent organism before breaking off to form a new organism is known as budding. In budding, a smaller outgrowth, or bud, forms on the parent organism, grows, and eventually detaches to become a separate entity. This method of asexual reproduction is exemplified by certain fungi, yeast, and even some invertebrates like hydra.

Budding allows for the rapid propagation of organisms without the need for gametic fusion, enabling the parent to produce offspring that are genetically identical. This process is advantageous in stable environments where the parent’s adapted traits can be effectively passed on to the offspring without the variability introduced through sexual reproduction.

Other processes, like fission, fragmentation, and binary fission, involve different mechanisms of reproduction or splitting of organisms and do not involve the development of a new organism from a growth on the parent. These distinctions highlight the specific nature of budding as a unique form of asexual reproduction.