New genetic variations in somaclones can lead to vital insights in plant improvement. In this study, somaclonal variation of 18 in vitro raised callus samples of Plantago major derived from two different explants, viz., leaf and root tips, was assessed by inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers, for their genetic stability. Of 18 ISSR primers screened, six primers were found to produce clear, reproducible bands. Six primers generated a total of 60 bands, of which 59 were polymorphic among all the clones with an average of 9.83. Genetic similarity values among samples ranged between 0.16 and 0.71, which was indicative of a high level of somaclonal variation. On the basis of their genetic similarities, ISSR analysis allowed the samples to be grouped into two main clusters. Results indicated that ISSR is an effective technique for the assessment of genetic variability in in vitro cultured calli.
