Heritable variability induced by the in vitro culture and genetic improvement of cultivated plants

Abstract
Genetic variability is found among plants derived from in vitro cultures of somatic cells. A number of different factors, such as the pre-existing genetic variation developed in vivo during tissue differentiation, the variation induced during the in vitro culture and also the selection for specific genotypes during plant regeneration, are considered as possible causes of the phenomenon. The nature of the genetic changes induced in somaclones (variation in chromosome number, gross and cryptic chromosomal rearrangements, transposition of genetic elements, gene amplification and somatic gene rearrangements) is also discussed.