TIME-RELATED BEHAVIOR OF PHENOTYPIC VARIATION IN LOTUS-CORNICULATUS REGENERANTS UNDER FIELD CONDITIONS

Plants of Lotus corniculatus regenerated from single genotype-derived calli showed for several agronomic and morphological traits a variation similar to that present in the original population. Comparisons of the results obtained under field conditions during the 2nd and 3rd year from plant regeneration show: (a) the maintenance of significant variance within callus-derived population for several traits examined; (b) the total disappearance of 'minus variants' indicating a time-related decrease of depressive in vitro effects.