Pollination for Hybrid Seed Production

Abstract

Production of hybrids to obtain higher yields is newer breeding method. To produce hybrid seed, the flowers on the male-sterile lines must be visited by nectar seeking pollen coated insects that have earlier visited the flowers of male- fertile plants. Now-a-days there is an increasing demand for hybrid seed of various crops. For hybrid seed production, parental cultivars are selected and crossed to produce off-spring of increased size, uniform volume, quality in earliness or resis- tance to unfavourable environmental factors when grown commercially. The pro- duction of these hybrid seed crops needs special techniques to prevent self-pollination and encourage cross-pollination favourable by insects.