XVI International Botanical Congess

Control of male ferility is important for hybrid seed production. We are attempting to generate nuclear male sterile lines in Brassica crops by manipulating genes that are essential for the production of viable pollen. For this perturbing the Bcp1 gene expression using antisense approach was explored. Bcp1, an anther specific gene from Brassica, is active in both diploid tapetum and hyploid microspores. Analysis of transgenic Brassica plants carrying antisense-Bcp1 showed male sterile phenotype. Another approach to generate male sterility is to selectively ablate the generative cell or sperm cells using generative cell specific promoter with cytotoxic gene such as barnase. The transgenic Nicotiana plant carrying LGCI-Barnase construct led to selective ablation of male gametes resulting in failure of seed set.