Male-sterility systems in pigeonpea and their role in enhancing yield

Abstract

With 1 figure and 4 tablesMale-sterility has been successfully used for enhancing yield in a number of cereal and vegetable crops. In food legumes, this technology could never be used either due to non-availability of natural out-crossing system, or an efficient male-sterility system or both. Pigeonpea [. Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] is a partially cross-pollinated food legume and recent success in breeding a stable male-sterility system has allowed breeders to exploit hybrid vigour for increasing yields. The cytoplasmic-nuclear male-sterility (CMS)-based hybrids have recorded 28.4% yield superiority over local checks in farmers' fields. This paper besides summarizing the reports of all the genetic and CMS systems, also discusses the prospects of utilizing these male-sterility systems in commercial hybrid breeding programmes. © 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.