Journal article

Publication year: 2017

Pages: 8-17

Journal: Plant Breeding

Volume number: 136

Issue number: 1

ISSN: 0179-9541

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1111/pbr.12435

Publisher: Wiley

Abstract: 
The cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) system msm1 in barley is known to be thermosensitive, sometimes resulting in spontaneous fertility restoration in the absence of the corresponding restorer gene Rfm1. Here, we investigated genotypic differences concerning temperature sensitivity and the plant developmental stage at which elevated temperature induces spontaneous fertility restoration in three CMS mother lines. While one line stayed completely male sterile, a significantly higher fertility was observed in two lines after treatment from growth stage DC41 until maturation. Microscopic analysis revealed that sterile anthers contained neither intact pollen, nor remains of aborted pollen grains, whereas pollen was visible in anthers of potentially fertile plants. We conclude that the barley CMS system affects anther and pollen development prior to meiosis. Elevated temperature during heading and flowering can lead to a spontaneous fertility restoration by reactivating pollen growth. Nevertheless, genotypic variation exists enabling the selection for stable CMS mother lines and the development of F-1 hybrids with high hybridity. As spontaneous fertility restoration due to environmental effects is difficult to phenotype, further investigations will focus on the development of molecular markers for marker-assisted selection.

Harvard Citation style: Bernhard, T., Friedt, W., Snowdon, R. and Wittkop, B. (2017) New insights into genotypic thermodependency of cytoplasmic male sterility for hybrid barley breeding, Plant Breeding, 136(1), pp. 8-17. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbr.12435

APA Citation style: Bernhard, T., Friedt, W., Snowdon, R., & Wittkop, B. (2017). New insights into genotypic thermodependency of cytoplasmic male sterility for hybrid barley breeding. Plant Breeding. 136(1), 8-17. https://doi.org/10.1111/pbr.12435