Abstract
Parental lines constitute the first and foremost step in a hybrid breeding program. In this context, developing a commercially viable cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) line is considered to be a highly cumbersome process. In fact, the belated success of hybrid rice technology in India was basically due to the nonavailability of a CMS line suited to the tropics. Over the years, a large number of male sterile lines with different cytosterility sources have been developed in India and elsewhere. Only a few-such as IR58025A and IR62829A-are now used commercially in India. They possess all the essential traits-complete and stable male sterility, high outcrossing rate, better grain quality, easy restorability, good combining ability, and adaptability-of a commercially viable CMS line. Some 64 CMS lines from India, China, Malaysia, and IRRI were evaluated along with IR58025A, IR62829A, and standard checks in the wet season of 1995 and 1996 and dry season of 1994 and 1995 to assess their comparative suitability for commercial use.
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