AbstractTissue culture protocols were used to generate somaclonal variation in two synthetic populations of alfalfa. In both cases the somaclone populations give yields of dry matter about 29 lower than the synthetic populations from which they were derived. Plant height and, for one population (LE‐1), stem length, number of node per stem and internode length was also lower for the somaclones than for the original populations. The implications for plant breeding programs are considered and two hypotheses (one genetic and the other physiological), to account for the changes are presente
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