Inheritance of A1 System of Cytoplasmic-Nuclear Male Sterility in Pearl Millet [Pennisetum glaucum (L). R. Br.]

Inheritance of male sterility and fertility restoration of the A(1) system of cytoplasmic-nuclear male sterility in pearl millet was investigated using 12 crosses among three diverse male sterile lines (A-lines) and four diverse restorers (R-lines). Individual plants from R-lines were used to make crosses on A-lines. The segregation pattern of male sterile (S) and male fertile (F) plants observed in F-2 and BC1 in two seasons at ICRISAT, Patancheru was suggestive more likely of a single-gene control of male sterility and fertility restoration. However, a 3-gene model of male sterility/fertility restoration where dominant alleles at any two of the three duplicate complimentary loci will lead to male fertility could not be ruled out, nor could be ruled out a 2-gene control with duplicate interaction. There was indication of variability even within a highly inbred R-line for fertility restoration gene(s). Depending on the genetic constitution of the R-lines at these loci, even the 3-gene model can lead to single-gene segregation ratios as observed in most of the F(2)s and backcrosses, and 2-gene ratios as observed in a few F(2)s and backcrosses. The deviations from these expected ratios in some of the crosses influenced by modifiers and environmental conditions generally resulted from the excess of fertile plants in the rainy season or excess of sterile plants in the dry season, the more so in crosses involving an A-line which has been reported to be relatively more unstable for male sterility.