Physiological change and apparent rejuvenation of temperate fruit trees from micropropagation

Propagation in vitro (micropropagation) by shoot culture with proliferation of lateral shoots has been applied extensively to fruit tree rootstocks and scions [15]. Such propagation is a generally accepted method of rapid multiplication whilst maintaining the genetic integrity of a clone. Nevertheless, plants produced by micropropagation may differ physiologically from the mother plants from which the propagation was initiated. Such physiological change appears to be transient and with adult trees may involve some reversion to juvenile characters.