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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » Corn Insects and Crop Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #261250
Title: Male sterility and hybrid seed production

Author
item Palmer, Reid
item GAI, J - Nanjing Research Institute For Agriculture
item DALVI, V - Guangxi Citrus Research Institute
item SUSO, MARIA - Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/28/2011
Publication Date: 6/21/2011
Citation: Palmer, R.G., Gai, J., Dalvi, V.A., Suso, M.J. 2011. Male sterility and hybrid seed production. In: Pratap A., Kumar J., editors. Biology and Breeding of Food Legumer. Wallingford, United Kingdom:CAB International. p. 193-2007.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Sexual reproduction in angiosperms is a complex process that includes a portion of the vegetative generation and all of the sexual generation. Coordination of both female and male reproduction ontogenies must occur. An abnormality anywhere in this process may lead to sterility. Genetic (nuclear) and cytoplasmically inherited mechanisms have been used to produce hybrids. This chapter describes sterility systems and, in a few examples, the utilization of sterility systems to produce hybrid seed commercially. The benefit of hybrids is an increase in vigor, termed heterosis. The preferred situation is high-parent heterosis, which is the superior performance of the hybrid plant over the better parent. For commercialization of hybrids, there needs to be an economical level of seed increase for the seedsman, and for the growers, that ultimately benefits the consumer. This may be lower costs and/or better quality.