Offspring of two plants that differ genetically are known as what?

Offspring of two plants that differ genetically are referred to as hybrids. Hybrids arise from the deliberate crossbreeding of two genetically distinct parent plants. This practice is common in agriculture and gardening to combine desirable traits from both parent plants, such as disease resistance, yield potential, or improved growth habits. Hybrids can exhibit characteristics that are different from either parent due to the combination of different alleles, which may lead to enhanced performance or specific traits that are advantageous for cultivation.

Clones are genetically identical copies of a single parent plant, so they do not come from two different genetic sources. Varieties and cultivars refer to specific strains or selections within a species, but they do not inherently imply the crossing of different genetic backgrounds. Thus, hybrids are the correct term for the offspring resulting from the combination of two genetically different plants.