ARS | Publication request: THE USE OF CYTOPLASMIC MALE STERILITY FOR HYBRID-SEED PRODUCTION

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: July 13, 2004
Publication Date: January 14, 2005
Citation: Havey, M.J. 2005. The use of cytoplasmic male sterility for hybrid-seed production. Book Chapter.

Technical Abstract: Cytoplasmic-genic male sterility (CMS) is an interaction between the organellar and nuclear genomes that conditions male sterility. The use of CMS to produce hybrid seed is very cost effective and has been widely exploited in a plethora of agronomic and horticultural crops. Although the unfortunate epidemic of Southern Corn Leaf Blight on T-cytoplasmic maize revealed the dangers of hybrid-seed production using a single source of CMS, no other example of genetic vulnerability to disease or stress has appeared in other plants, in spite of the worldwide use of CMS. The purpose of this chapter is to list and review the major sources of CMS used commercially to produce hybrid seed.