Final answer:
Chimeras may not always be cloned successfully through any asexual propagation technique because of the genetic variability in their tissues. Asexual cloning methods like grafting, layering, and micropropagation may not reproduce the distinctive characteristics of the original chimera, making the statement in the question false.
Step-by-step explanation:
b) False, chimeras cannot always be cloned true-to-type by any asexual propagation technique due to their genetic variability within different parts of the plant.
In biology, particularly in the context of botany, a chimera is a plant that exhibits genetic variability within its tissues. This is often visible as patches of different colors or types of tissue within the leaves or other parts of the plant. Asexual reproduction methods such as grafting, layering, and micropropagation can be used to clone plants. While it's true that many plants can be propagated asexually to produce genetically identical offspring, this is not always the case with chimeras. Because chimeras have layers with different genetic makeup, not all asexual propagation techniques guarantee that the new plant will retain the chimera's distinct characteristics.
Techniques like grafting may combine tissues from different plants, resulting in a distinct organism, while cloning through cuttings or micropropagation may not always capture the full genetic variation present in the chimera's tissues. As a result, cloned plants may not exhibit the same variegation or other traits specific to the original chimera. Therefore, it's important to choose the appropriate asexual propagation technique considering the plant's specific genetic structure.