Male sterility in field beans (Vicia faba L.). IV. Use of cytoplasmic male sterility in the production of F₁ hybrids, and their performance in trials

Abstract

1. A method of producing hybrid beans with the aid of a cytoplasmic male-sterile is described.2. Most of the requirements of large scale production of hybrid seed can be met: use of genetic markers showed that the male sterility allowed 100% cross fertilization; there was no evidence of a deficiency of insect pollinators near Cambridge; and fertility restoring lines are available.3. The importance of being able to maintain a high level of sterility in the female parent line is emphasized. Methods of improving the proportion of sterile plants in the sterile phase of an inbred are discussed. The tolerable level of fertility in progenies of sterile parents depends on the level of sterility necessary in the female parent of the final cross. Five inbreds are being handled with less than 2% of fertile plants in their sterile phase.

On the mechanism of cytoplasmic male sterility in the 447 line of Vicia faba

“…However, in order to use a virus-based system for the expression of the sterility trait, instability problems must be overcome. The 447 CMS cytoplasm, for example, reverts to fertility at a frequency of 2% in the most stable nuclear backgrounds [3], a level unacceptable for plant breeding applications [261.…”

“…Contrary to a published secondary reference [15], we have not been able to stably transmit the dsRNA and CSB by any mechanism to any plant. A caveat relative to these transmission experiments is that we have not yet tested as potential hosts Revertant lines or Restored lines (from which the restoration gene has segregated) but have exclusively used Maintainer 3 We have also been interested in the effect restoration genes might have on other viral pathogens. If viruses were found associated with the sterility trait then restoration genes might have potential antiviral activity.…”

“…The 447 CMS line of V.faba and its unusual genetic characteristics of instability and permanent restoration were first described by Bond [2,3]. An electron microscopy study identified the presence of 70 nm membranous particles named cytoplasmic spherical bodies (CSB) present in the cytoplasm of sterile plants but not in any fertile plants [10].…”

Yield and components of yield in diallel crosses between inbred lines of winter beans (Viciafaba)

“…For the successful application of the methods of improving field beans using male sterility in the production of F x hybrids (Bond, Fyfe & Toynbee-Clarke, 1964, 1966, and using synthetic varieties composed of inbred lines, information is needed on the combining abilities of the prospective parent lines and the extent to which the F x hybrids exhibit heterosis and show advantages over open pollinated varieties. The practical objective of the diallel crosses reported here was to evaluate six inbred lines for their usefulness as parents of hybrid varieties, or as components of synthetic varieties, by assessments of (a) the degree of heterosis in a number of valuable characters, (6) the relative importance of specific and general combining abilities, and (c) the extent to which hybrid performance could be predicted from that of the parents.…”

From concept to field: evolution of hybrid pigeonpea technology in India

“…After the adoption of hybrid technology in various crop species, now it is the turn of grain legumes. This endeavour started with research in faba bean in the west (Bond et al 1966) and pigeonpea in India (Saxena, 2008). Efforts are also being made to develop hybrid breeding technology in soybean (Palmer et al 2010).…”