The Role of Somaclonal Variation in Plant Genetic Improvement: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The instability of in vitro cultures may cause genetic and epigenetic changes in crops called somaclonal variations. Sometimes, these changes produce beneficial effects; for example, they can be used in breeding programs to generate new cultivars with desirable characteristics. In this article, we present a systematic review designed to answer the following question: How does somaclonal variation contribute to plant genetic improvement? Five electronic databases were searched for articles based on pre-established inclusion and exclusion criteria and with a standardized search string. The somaclonal variation technique has been most frequently applied to ornamental plants, with 49 species cited in 48 articles, and to the main agricultural crops, including sugarcane, rice, banana, potato and wheat, in different countries worldwide. In 69 studies, a technique was applied to evaluate the genetic diversity generated between clones, and, in 63 studies, agronomic performance characteristics were evaluated. Other studies are related to resistance to pathogens, ornamental characteristics and resistance to abiotic stresses. The application of the plant growth regulators (PGRs) benzylaminopurine (BAP) and dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) was the most common method for generating somaclones, and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) molecular markers were the most commonly used markers for identification and characterization. Somaclonal variation has been used in genetic improvement programs for the most economically important crops in the world, generating genetic diversity and supporting the launch of new genotypes resistant to diseases, pests and abiotic stresses. However, much remains to be explored, such as the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms from which somaclonal variation is derived.