Somatic Hybridization - Production of hybrid plants through the fusion of protoplasts of two different plant species/varieties is called somatic hybridization, and such hybrids are known as somatic hybrids.

The technique of somatic hybridization involves the following four steps:

(i) isolation of protoplasts,

(ii) fusion of the protoplasts of desired species/varieties,

(iii) selection of somatic hybrid cells, and

(iv) culture of the hybrid cells and regeneration of hybrid plants from them.