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Old October 3, 2012   #2
Darren Abbey
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As things grow, they mutate. In animals, the next generation is produced from cells which are isolated from many of the stresses of daily life... but in plants the next generation is produced from the equivalent of our skin cells. So, different cuttings from the same plant will have unique mutations which are different from each other. Over time those mutations will accumulate.

That said, because seeds are produced in the same way from surface tissues, different seed lines will also accumulate the same sorts of mutations over time.

The main difference is that cuttings will carry viruses and fungi from the parent plant, while seeds tend to not carry the diseases of the parent. This might be a more significant factor in producing the pattern your friend mentioned.
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An indeterminate tomato should indeed keep on producing, though it might slow down with changes in growing conditions. In biology very little is entirely solid in its behavior, so I wonder if determinate tomatoes would also keep growing and producing through cuttings. I do expect the two types would respond differently to the process.
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