A male-sterile line with ‘virescent’ marker character in Upland cotton

Abstract

Inheritance of 81A genetic male-sterility with ‘virescent’ marker character and its cytology in Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) are presented. The chromosome number of 81A is normal, 2n = 52, and pollen abortion occurs mainly in the late uninuclear stage. Male-sterility and virescence in 81A are controlled by one pair of recessive gene. Because male sterility and virescence showed no recombination, pleiotropy is assumed. However, very close linkage could not be ruled out. Allelic tests indicated that virescence observed in 81A is non-allelic to all virescence genes identified earlier in Upland cotton and its male-sterility is non-allelic to msc1, msc2 and msc3 discovered in P.R. China. It is proposed that 81A male-sterile gene symbol be tentatively named to msc7. The development of 81A genetic male-sterile line associated with virescence trait could raise considerably the efficiency of the hybrid seed production in cotton.