Breeding of Fruit and Plantation Crops

Clone

• A clone is a group of plants produced exclusively from a single individual plant through asexual reproduction. Most of the fruit plants are propagated asexually which consist of large number of clones and that is why these plants are known as a group of plants derived from a single plant by vegetative means. In other words all the vegetative progenies of a single plant make a clone.

Characteristics

• Clones are stable- They retain their original traits just like pure line variety.Theoretically clones are immortal i.e. A clone can be maintained indefinitely by asexual reproduction. However, these are very much susceptible to diseases or insect pests depending upon the species and cultivars.
• Homogeneous-Individual plant of a clone is a mitotic derivative of the same plant and therefore homogeneity in phenotype is the major feature of clones. A group of individual plants derived from the same tissue of the original mother plant carries the same genotype.
• Phenotypic variation if any in clones is due to environmental impact.Continuous inbreeding of clones which are heterozygous might lead to severe loss in vigour.
• The phenotype of a clone is due to effect of gene (G), environment (E) and GxE interaction over the population mean ( h ). Therefore P=h+G+E+GE
• Clones are maintained by asexual reproduction, but pure lines and inbreds are maintained by self-pollination or close inbreeding