Registration of Pearl Millet Genetic Male‐Sterile (ms3) Stock NM‐10H

Abstract

A single plant exhibiting male sterility was discovered in a population of about 1000 plants of an F5 dwarf line 34‐2B, the maintainer line for cytoplasmic male sterile line 34‐2A4 of pearl millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.]. Its cause was investigated using selfed and full‐sib progeny derived from crosses to different lines. Segregation ratios in these progeny showed that the sterility was due to a single recessive nuclear gene, ms3, the expression of which remained consistent across progeny generations both in field and greenhouse tests. Genetic stock NM‐10H (Reg. No. GS‐4, PI 664478) is an F5 line of pearl millet containing the genetic male sterility gene and was derived from a cross between the male sterility found in line 34‐2B and line 68B. The male sterility is maintained in a heterozygote (NM‐10H). The ms3 genetic male‐sterility gene may be useful in studying the effects of different cytoplasms on heterosis and other traits by using isonuclear hybrids and in histological studies on the development of male sterility in different types of male sterility.