Endogenous tassel-specific small RNAs-mediated RNA interference enables a novel glyphosate-inducible male sterility system for commercial production of hybrid seed in Zea mays L.

ABSTRACT: Hybrid crops produce higher yields than their inbred parents due to heterosis. For high purity of hybrid seeds, it is critical to eliminate self-pollination. Manual or mechanical removal of male parts (such as detasseling in maize) is labor-intensive, fuel and time-consuming, and can cause physical damage to female plants, resulting in significant seed yield reductions. Many male-sterility systems either require a maintainer for male-sterile line propagation or are often affected by environmental factors. Roundup® Hybridization System (RHS) utilizes glyphosate to induce male sterility, which effectively eliminates the need for maintainer lines and removal of male parts for commercial hybrid seed production. The first-generation RHS (RHS1) is based on low expression of a glyphosate-insensit

SUBMITTER: Yang H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6107248 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature