A review of somaclonal variation in plantain (Musa spp): mechanisms and applications

Micropropagation or tissue culture is an integral component of applied biotechnology, and is routinely used in different laboratories worldwide. Plant tissue has contributed immensely in large-scale production of resistant and pest free plantlets, germplasm exchange and conservation. A common feature of in vitro-regenerated plants is the potential of genetic variation generated during tissue culture called somaclonal variation, which can be passed onto progeny.Objective: This paper reviews the factors responsible for this phenomenon, its occurrence in some crops, with emphasis on banana and plantain and its application in the genetic improvement of Musa.Key words: Plant cell culture, Somaclonal variation, Disease resistance, Banana, Biotechnology