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Definition

noun

(biology) The formation of an outgrowth from an organism, and is capable of developing into a new individual; gemmation.

(botany)
(1) The state of forming or developing a bud.
(2) A form of grafting in which a bud of a plant is inserted or grafted into another plant.

(embryology) The process of embryo differentiation in which the old structures are formed in outgrowth from pre-existing parts.

(virology) The forming of a protrusion by certain viruses using a fragment of the host cell membrane in order to acquire their external envelope.

(general) That is beginning to develop; the state of producing buds.

adjective

Developing, flowering.

Supplement

Budding is a common process in plants and fungi. It also occurs in certain animals, particularly the Hydra (sponges). In sponges, the outgrowth (bud) stays attached permanently while in fungi the bud stays for a while, and then detaches to grow fully as a new individual. Budding is a form of asexual reproduction since the process results in the formation of new individual but is a clone of the primary organism.

In viruses, budding is their means to leave the cell while not causing lysis to their host cell. In this way, the remaining viruses can still propagate within the host cell.

Word origin: bud(d) + -ing
Related forms: bud (noun and verb)

Related terms:

• shield budding