Why is polyploidy common in plants but not in animals?

Explanation

**Step-by-Step Text Solution:**

1. **Definition of Polyploidy**: Polyploidy refers to the condition in which an organism has more than two complete sets of chromosomes. While most organisms are diploid (having two sets of chromosomes), polyploid organisms can be triploid (three sets), tetraploid (four sets), and so on.

2. **Occurrence in Plants**: Polyploidy is notably common in plants. This is largely due to their ability to reproduce vegetatively. Vegetative reproduction allows plants to propagate without the formation of gametes, which means that the genetic material can be duplicated without undergoing the typical segregation that occurs during sexual reproduction.

3. **Mechanism of Plant Reproduction**: In vegetative reproduction, plants can produce clones of themselves, which can lead to an increase in chromosome number without the complications of sexual reproduction. This process can result in polyploidy being established and maintained in plant populations.

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