Allelic relationship of four male sterility genes and nucleo-cytoplasmic interactions in the expression of male sterility in pearl millet, Pennisetum americanum (L.) leeke.

Male sterility genes isolated in four inbred lines of pearl millet were found allelic. The differences between male fertile and male sterile phenotypes is mainly due to a single gene. Presence of a dominant gene (Ms) resulted in male fertility and double recessiveness (ms ms) in male sterility. However, genic male sterility (GMS) in Pennisetum is not a simply inherited case of monogenic recessive condition but is influenced by cytoplasmic and several nuclear factors. In a male sterile, the stage at which the male sterility gene is expressed during the development of the male gametophyte resulting in breakdown of the cells is influenced by cytoplasmic and other nuclear factors. Two types of cytoplasm, C-1 and C-2, are recognized. Presence of any two recessive male sterility alleles in C-1 led to breakdown of male development before differentiation of an archesporium in the anther (Arc-type); in C-2 cytoplasm, degeneration started during meiosis with fusion of meiocytes and syncyte formation (Syn-type), or at post-meiotic stages terminating in abortion of microspores before first pollen mitosis (PGM type). The triggering of activity of recessive male sterility genes in C-2 cytoplasm appeared to be regulated by two nuclear factors, R 1 and R 2 with duplicate gene action. Recessiveness for both the R factors in C-2 cytoplasm resulted in PGM-type expression. The action of R 1 and R 2 is specific to C-2 cytoplasm. Mutation of cytoplasm from C-1 to C-2 and C-2 to C-1 was observed.