Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were used for the charact
erization of citrus organelle inheritance in somatic cybrids produced durin
g six different citrus protoplast fusions. All the cybrids in this work inh
erited their mitochondrial genome from the embryogenic fusion partner (call
us or cell suspension). In some of the combinations, non-parental bands wer
e observed among the mitochondrial configurations. In contrast, the cybrids
inherited plastid DNA from either the embryogenic or the nonembryogenic (l
eaf) fusion partner. The relative abundance of organelle DNAs in the embryo
genic and leaf cells was in accordance with these inheritance patterns. Sto
chastic processes may therefore influence the outcome of somatic cell fusio
ns with respect to organelle genomes.