Somaclonal variation associated with oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) clonal propagation: A review

Abstract

Somaclonal variation refers to any phenotypic or genotypic modifications that arise from in vitro culture. In the oil palm, it is characterized by fruit mantling and abnormal vegetative growth. Tissue culture remains the only means of micro propagation of oil palm as its biological characteristics do not allow for vegetative propagation by conventional means. The early success of plantlets production inspired many oil palm organizations to explore in vitro propagation technique. Though oil palm tissue culture is already well established, it is still faced with many challenges. Prominent among them is somaclonal variation which was first reported in 1986. They are only detectable when the palms start flowering; that is, after two to three years in the field. It has not been possible to fully eliminate or circumvent floral abnormality in the oil palm. However, the adoption of several measures such as reducing hormone level, avoiding fast growing callus and, reducing culture period, have reduced the problem to manageable levels of < 5%. Possible causes and factors influencing somaclonal variation in the oil palm are discussed.

Distribution of polyprenol and dolichol in oil palms from Pisifera parents and mature plants from tissue culture propagation

“…Temporary changes in traits result from epigenetic or physiological influences and are not heritable and can return to the original plant characteristics (Kaeppler et al 2000;Miguel and Marum 2011). Meanwhile, permanent change in the traits was defined as somaclonal diversity that can be inherited and express the diversity that is owned by early plants, even giving rise to new diversity caused by unexplained genetic mechanisms (Smulders and De Klerk 2011;Mgbeze and Iserhienrhien 2014).…”

Case Study of Somaclonal Variation in Resistance GenesMloandPme3in Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimumL.) Induced by Nanoparticles

“…Tissue culture is a reliable tool for plant propagation and evaluation of somaclonal variation what is required to modification of the progeny of clonal propagation. This leads to evolutionary potential of taxon or population to adapt to varying environmental conditions [4, 5]. The regenerated plants may differ genetically or phenotypically from the maternal plant [6].…”