significance and applications of somaclonal variations in plant tissue culture?

Answer 1

Plant tissue cultures isolated from even a single cell can show variation after repeated subculture. Distinct lines can be selected with their own particular morphology and physiology. It suggests that the tissue culture contains a population of genotypes whose proportion can be altered by imposing an appropriate selection pressure. This variation can be transmitted to plants regenerated from the tissue cultures, and is called somaclonal variation. It provides an additional source of novel variation for exploitation by plant breeders.

Answer 2

Somaclonal variation is the term used to describe the variation seen in plants that have been produced by plant tissue culture. Chromosomal rearrangements are an important source of this variation.

Somaclonal variation is not restricted to, but is particularly common in plants regenerated from callus. The variations can be genotypic or phenotypic, which in the later case can be either genetic or epigenetic in origin. Typical genetic alterations are: changes in chromosome numbers (polyploidy and aneuploidy), chromosome structure (translocations, deletions and duplications) and DNA sequence (base mutations). Typical epigenetic related events are: gene amplification and gene methylation.

If no visual, morphogenic changes are appearant, other plant screening procedures must be applied. There are both benefits and disadvantages to somaclonal variation .The phenomenon of high variability in individuals from plant cell cultures or adventitious shoots has been named somaclonal variation. Somaclonal variation is not restricted to, but is particularly common in callus-derived regenerants. The variations can be genotypic or phenotypic, which in the later case can be either genetic or epigenetic in origin. Typical genetic alterations are: changes in chromosome numbers (polyploidy and aneuploidy), chromosome structure (translocations, deletions and duplications) and DNA sequence (base mutations). Typical epigenetic related events are: gene amplification and gene methylation.

Answer 3

yeah, generally u want to reduce it as much as possible (by avoiding the callus stage) but it can be of use if u want VARIABILITY, let us say in ornamental plants. i have seen a tray of begonia plants from one single callus and not two of them were the same. ask more specific question for more specific answer, ok

Answer 4

Possible variety improvement applications- better crops. In practice it's more of a nuisance than benefit.