Somatic mutations substantially increase the per-generation mutation rate in the coniferPicea sitchensis

The rates and biological significance of somatic mutations have long been a subject of debate. Somatic mutations in plants are expected to accumulate with vegetative growth and time, yet rates of somatic mutations are unknown for conifers, which can reach exceptional sizes and ages. We investigated somatic mutation rates in the conifer Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) by analyzing a total of 276 Gb of nuclear DNA from the tops and...