Somaclonal variations refer to the genetic variations observed in plants regenerated from cultured somatic tissues. These variations arise because terminally differentiated somatic cells accumulate genetic changes, or they may be introduced during long-term in vitro callus and cell suspension cultures. The plants regenerated from such tissues are known as somaclones.

These variations are useful for crop improvement as they can be used to engineer novel traits. For instance, agronomically important somaclones have been identified for disease resistance in sugarcane, banana, and tomato, as well as for improved yield in wheat.