Just a reminder that the seeds produced have a great deal of genetic
diversity in them, whether the seeds come from plants grown from seed or
from vegetatively produced plants. The diversity results from dominant and
recessive genes that are found in the same plant and the wonderful shuffling
of the chromosome (and hence genes) as gametes are produced. Not to
mention jumping genes between chromosomes.
I'm reminded of the story of the 30 British starlings that were released in
New York (I think in the 1930's). They're now a pest and are found all over
the United States, much to the consternation of our American blue bird. The
genetic diversity of those 30 starlings was enough to ensure the survival of
the species in the US. My impression is that the diversity within a plant
is much greater than the diversity within a bird.
Happy New Year
David