ARS | Publication request: Performance of F2:3 Male Sterile, Female-Fertile Soybean Lines in Hybrid Seed Production

Submitted to: International Congress On Sexual Plant Reproduction Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: August 24, 2004
Publication Date: August 24, 2004
Citation: Ortiz-Perez, E., Cervantes-Martinez, I.G., Wiley, H., Hanlin, S.J., Horner, H.T., Davis, W.H., Palmer, R.G. 2004. Performance Of F2:3 Male Sterile, Female-Fertile Soybean Lines In Hybrid Seed Production. International Congress On Sexual Plant Reproduction Proceedings. Abstract No. 87.

Technical Abstract: Success for hybrid seed production in soybean requires efficient transfer of pollen from the male parent to the female parent. Our hypothesis is that seed-set on male-sterile, female-fertile plants is a direct indicator of pollinator attraction. The objective of this study was to evaluate seed-set among different male-sterile, female-fertile F2:3 families using native pollinator insect species. Eight F2:3 male-sterile, female-sterile families were insect cross-pollinated to their respective recurrent male parent (backcrossed), and to a common male parent. The F2:3 male-sterile, female-sterile families were segregating for male-sterile ms2, ms3, ms6, ms8, ms9 or a genetically uncharacterized male-sterile allele. A RCBD was used with 4 replications and 16 entries. At maturity, seed set/male-sterile plant was recorded. The ANOVA for seed set showed significant differences among the eight F2:3 families. Significant variation in cross-pollinated seed-set was observed within F2:3 families, and among families from the same cross. Furthermore, the F2:3 families averages for seed set ranged from 13.3 to 212.1 per male-sterile plant. These results suggest that both parents contributed some non-allelic genes for pollinator attraction or reward, irrespective of whether the recurrent parent or a common parent was used as the male.