Induced Genetic Male Sterility in <i>Nigella sativa</i> L. (Black Cumin)

Abstract

Summary Eight male sterile-female fertile mutants possessing a similar phenotype (semi-dwarf with dark green cup shaped pinnae), normal meiotic chromosome behavior and 100.0% sterile pollen grains were scored at M 2 (0.1% over mutagenized population; 7845 plants scored) following different mutagen treatments (0.25%, 2 h EMS; 0.5%, 4 h dES; 1.00%, 2 h H 2 O 2 ; 0.25%, 4 h NaN 3 ; 0.50%, 4 h NH 2 OH; 100 Gy, gamma irradiations) to dry seeds (moisture content: 19.04%) of Nigella sativa L. (Family: Ranunculaceae; common name: black cumin). The marked phenotype of the M 2 mutant plants did not persist in subsequent generations (M 3 and M 4 ). Male sterility is reported to be of the non-structural nuclear type. Segregation studies revealed that male sterility was monogenic recessive to male fertility. The male sterile plant type assessed over the generations (M 2 to M 4 ) was characterized morphologically, palynologically (pollen attributes studied following SEM analysis, DAPI staining and using stain tests for viability), and cytologically in relation to male fertile normal plants. The results obtained were discussed.