Evaluation of a new culture method for mass-propagation of a photoperiod-temperature sensitive genic male sterile rice strain N19S

Abstract

A newly established culture method was evaluated for application in mass-propagation of a photoperiod-temperature sensitive genic male sterile rice strain. It was found that the new culture method was very efficient for the regeneration of plants from callus of this strain, and a high concentration of 6-benzyladenine necessary for highly efficient plant regeneration culture did not seem to have negative effects on some agronomic traits investigated of the regenerated plants and their progenies. By the new culture method, a large number of plants could be regenerated in a relatively short time (approximately 8×1012 plants within 300 days) from one naked seed-explant. Because of this, prominent drift of the PTGMS rice strain, which accumulates gradually during the course of propagation of the seeds through generations, in the response to photoperiod-temperature conditions could be avoided when this in vitro culture protocol is employed instead of seed propagation. Differences in rates of pollen fertility and seed setting were found between regenerated plants and seed-grown plants, and between their respective first and second progenies. These differences are also of important application value in two-line rice production: Higher pollen fertility of the regenerated plants can be applied with higher efficiency for the propagation of the strain seeds because they have much higher seed setting by self-fertilization; lower pollen fertility of the regenerated plant progenies will result in much lower seed setting by self-fertilization and is, therefore, conducive to the production of hybrid seeds of higher purity by natural crossing with the other line in the two-line system.