Genetic basis of asexual breeding

K.Mohanraj, A.Anna Durai and Ravinder Kumar

Genetic makeup: All the progenies from an individual propagated asexually are of identical genotypes (clones) and uniform. Clones are products of mitosis. Any variation occurring among them is environmental in origin. Heterozygosity: Many species that are asexually propagated are highly heterozygous; and show severe inbreeding depression. For those species that can be hybridized without problems, an advantage of asexual propagation is that heterosis, where it occurs, is fixed for as long as the cultivar is propagated asexually. Polyploidy: majority of the asexually propagated species are interspecific hybrids or have high ploidy level. eg. Sugarcane, Potato etc. Chimerism: Clones are stable over many generations of multiplication. The only source of natural variation, albeit rare, is somatic mutation in the bud. Plant breeders may generate variability by the method of mutagenesis. Whether natural or artificial, somatic mutations are characterized by tissue mosaicism, a phenomenon called chimerism. A chimera or chimeric change occurs when an individual consists of two or more genetically different types of cells. Though heritable changes, these mosaics can only be maintained by vegetative propagation (not transferable to progenies by sexual means).There are four basic types of chimeras: a. Sectorial. This chimera is observed in a growing shoot as two different tissues located side by side. The effect of this modification is that the stem develops with two distinct tissues on each half. b. Periclinal. This type of chimera consists of two thin layers of different genetic makeup, one over the other. c. Mericlinal. When an outer layer of different genetic tissue does not completely extend over the layer below, the chimera is mericlinal. d. Graft chimeras. Unlike the first three chimeras that have a genetic origin, a graft chimera is a non-heritable mixture of tissues that may occur after grafting is made. They are undesirable in crop plants whereas, in horticulture crops chimeras may be successfully exploited.