ISHS Acta Horticulturae 355: Plant Breeding for Mankind - Symposium Agribex 94
APPLICATION OF SOMACLONAL VARIATION AND IN VITRO SELECTION TO PLANT IMPROVEMENT |
| Author: | J. Bouharmont |
| Abstract:
The regeneration of plants from undifferentiated cells in culture is frequently a source of variability. The origin and expression of the observed variations are very diverse, but the occurrence of stable gene mutations has been proved in many species. Somaclonal variation is disadvantageous for the production of a clone by micropropagation, but it can be a source of valuable traits and several new varieties have been obtained by this way in some ornamental and crop species. The mutations can be detected after plant regeneration, on the field or in laboratory, but the application of selection pressures at the cell level increases the proportion of modified cells and plants. Such a selection is applicable for tolerance to physical or chemical environmental factors such as cold, drought, salt or toxic ions. Modified plants have been regenerated in several plant species after in vitro culture and selection; for some clones or seed progenies, the physiological and genetical bases of the stress tolerance have been elucidated. During the last ten years, somaclonal variation has been used, in the laboratory of Cytogenetics, in order to produce mutated lines in several crops. Some of these lines were then analyzed by genetical, physiological and biochemical methods to elucidate the nature of the mutations. | |
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