propagation: genetic drift in clones

Back when tissue culture was first coming into vogue, I read some papers
or heard some talks about 'genetic drift' from one generation to the
next in tissue cultured clonal plant material.  It was pretty high -
sometimes resulting in plants that weren't worth much after several
generations.  Seems like I remember estimates of changes in genetic
markers of more than 50% in not all that many generations.

Here I go making another wild leap - has anybody looked at genetic drift
in bearded irises?  Some drift is obvious - stable 'sports' of a
different color.  But I also wonder if there couldn't be 'adaptive'
drift in clones propagated for the last 50, 100, 150 yrs in very
different climates.

The reason I am asking is because I am wondering if it matters in terms
of climatic adaptation what part of the country I order some of the
older historics from.

Linda Mann east Tennessee USA
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index