Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) in hybrid breeding in field crops

Abstract

A comprehensive understanding of CMS/Rf system enabled by modern omics tools and technologies considerably improves our ability to harness hybrid technology for enhancing the productivity of field crops. Harnessing hybrid vigor or heterosis is a promising approach to tackle the current challenge of sustaining enhanced yield gains of field crops. In the context, cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) owing to its heritable nature to manifest non-functional male gametophyte remains a cost-effective system to promote efficient hybrid seed production. The phenomenon of CMS stems from a complex interplay between maternally-inherited (mitochondrion) and bi-parental (nucleus) genomic elements. In recent years, attempts aimed to comprehend the sterility-inducing factors (orfs) and corresponding fertility determinants (Rf) in plants have greatly increased our access to candidate genomic segments and the cloned genes. To this end, novel insights obtained by applying state-of-the-art omics platforms have substantially enriched our understanding of cytoplasmic-nuclear communication. Concomitantly, molecular tools including DNA markers have been implicated in crop hybrid breeding in order to greatly expedite the progress. Here, we review the status of diverse sterility-inducing cytoplasms and associated Rf factors reported across different field crops along with exploring opportunities for integrating modern omics tools with CMS-based hybrid breeding.

New Hypervariable SSR Markers for Diversity Analysis, Hybrid Purity Testing and Trait Mapping in Pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh]

“…In addition to varietal improvement, harnessing hybrid vigor using CMS technology has emerged as a promising means to overcome the problem of yield stagnation in pigeonpea (Bohra et al, 2016). Supply of genetically pure seeds remains central to the successful hybrid breeding programme (Saxena et al, 2010c).…”

EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON STERILITY IN CMS LINES OF PIGEONPEA [Cajanus cajan(L.) Millsp.]

“…Recently cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) technology has emerged as a promising approach for dramatic enhancement of Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan) productivity (Saxena, et al, 2015;Bohra et al, 2016). Hybrids pigeonpea had significantly higher seed yield over check in pigeonpea variety Asha and Maruti (Kumar et al, 2017).…”

A preliminary identification ofRf*-A619, a novel restorer gene for CMS-C in maize (Zea maysL.)

“…To date, many restorer genes in various species have been identified and characterized (Bohra et al, 2016), and this information greatly improves our knowledge of the genetic basis of male sterility and fertility restoration and accelerates the utilization of plant male sterility in practice.…”