ANSWER:

(i) Seed propagation is not commonly used in bananas because most edible varieties are seedless and sterile, making their seeds either absent or non-viable. Hence, they cannot be grown in large numbers through seeds, so farmers use vegetative propagation.

(ii) In this method, new banana plants are produced from suckers or rhizomes that grow near the base of the parent plant. When these suckers are separated and planted in soil, they develop into fully grown banana plants. This method is quick and reliable for large-scale production.

(iii) Advantage: Vegetative propagation ensures that all new plants are genetically identical, showing the same desired qualities.
Disadvantage: However, the lack of variation makes them prone to diseases.

(iv) If a parent plant suffers from a disease, the same disease easily spreads to its offspring because they are clones.