Plants can accumulate somatic mutations. That fact is not controversial. The important question is whether those changes are large enough, common enough, and positioned in the tested markers in a way that breaks an identity workflow.
A well-designed fingerprint does not rely on a single point of comparison. It uses a pattern across many markers, then interprets that pattern against the method and dataset used.
What matters in practice
- Marker density and distribution.
- Quality control across samples.
- Repeatable lab and analysis methods.
- Careful interpretation of small differences rather than panic over any mutation language.