Molecular mapping and inheritance of restoration of fertility (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rf</Emphasis>) in A4 hybrid system in pigeonpea (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cajanus cajan</Emphasis> (L.) Millsp.)

Key message

We report molecular mapping and inheritance of restoration of fertility (Rf) in A4 hybrid system in pigeonpea. We have also developed PCR-based markers amenable to low-cost genotyping to identify fertility restorer lines.

Abstract

Commercial hybrids in pigeonpea are based on A4 cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) system, and their fertility restoration is one of the key prerequisites for breeding. In this context, an effort has been made to understand the genetics and identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with restoration of fertility (Rf). One F₂ population was developed by crossing CMS line (ICPA 2039) with fertility restorer line (ICPL 87119). Genetic analysis has shown involvement of two dominant genes in regulation of restoration of fertility. In parallel, the genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach has generated ~?33 Gb data on the F₂ population. GBS data have provided 2457 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) segregating across the mapping population. Based on these genotyping data, a genetic map has been developed with 306 SNPs covering a total length 981.9 cM. Further QTL analysis has provided the region flanked by S8_7664779 and S8_6474381 on CcLG08 harboured major QTL explained up to 28.5% phenotypic variation. Subsequently, sequence information within the major QTLs was compared between the maintainer and the restorer lines. From this sequence information, we have developed two PCR-based markers for identification of restorer lines from non-restorer lines and validated them on parental lines of hybrids as well as on another F₂ mapping population. The results obtained in this study are expected to enhance the efficiency of selection for the identification of restorer lines in hybrid breeding and may reduce traditional time-consuming phenotyping activities.

     

利用SSR标记鉴定西瓜杂交种纯度的研究

以2个西瓜杂交品种(系)的种子黑公子和04-17及其亲本为材料,用SSR标记技术研究杂种与其双亲之间的扩增谱带多态性,以甄别真假杂种.结果发现,所试验的52对SSR引物中有13对引物分别在2个西瓜杂交种和其双亲之间存在扩增条带的多态性,表现为:多数SSR引物对自交系的扩增只出现1条带,但部分引物在某些自交系中扩增出2条带,杂交种条带均为父母本的互补型,很适合做杂交种纯度鉴定.用引物CMCT134b对黑公子和引物CMGA165对04-17进行了各100粒单种子SSR鉴定,所测纯度分别为96%和100%,与田间纯度95.6%和99.7%非常接近,表明SSR标记技术在西瓜杂交种子纯度室内快速检测中的应用前景.     

Analysis of molecular diversity and fingerprinting of commercially grown Indian rice hybrids

Twenty-five commercially grown Indian rice hybrids developed by both the public and private sectors, were analysed for molecular diversity and identification of simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker(s) that can distinguish them from each other. For diversity analysis, a total of fifty eight SSR markers providing genome wide coverage, were used. Forty out of fifty eight SSR markers were polymorphic amplifying a total of 121 alleles with molecular weight ranging from 70 bp ?C 280 bp. Further, characterisation of these markers was carried out generating parameters of heterozygosity (0.42), polymorphism information content (0.31), probability of identity (4.2?×?10^?8) and probability of exclusion (99.99%). Cluster analysis based on a set of fourty highly polymorphic SSR markers generated three groups with dissimilarity index values ranging from 0.0 to 0.8. The hybrids based on common female parent IR58025A grouped together indicating a narrow genetic base of hybrid breeding programme. By combining the rapid and simple method of utilising these unique SSR markers alone or in combination, as molecular tags, identification of all the hybrids was possible even without having their parental lines. Twenty SSR loci produced hybrid specific unique alleles, which will be useful in establishing hybrid??s identity. The results have wide prospective in diversifying the genetic base of hybrid breeding programme, identification of rice hybrids, authentication of genetic purity of hybrid seed and protection of IPR.     

木豆CMS杂交种资源农艺性状及品质性状分析

对自ICR ISAT成套引进最新培育成功的早、中熟组木豆CMS杂交种各6份,进行了农艺性状及品质性状分析。结果表明:(1)早熟组的成株率高,育性恢复好;其中ICPH2363的成株率、单株荚数、百粒重等性状均表现较好。(2)中熟组中有2份杂交种在成株率、株高、分枝数等性状上远超对照品种;特别是ICPH3381的分枝数极显著多于对照品种。(3)早熟组杂交种的粗蛋白、无氮浸出物等指标普遍高于对照品种;特别是ICPH2364各品质性状指标均较高,干子粒平均单产也高于对照,作为精饲料、配合饲料开发利用潜力较大。木豆CMS杂交种资源农艺性状令人满意,在我国亚热带省区应具有较好的推广利用价值。     

利用RAPD分子标记对番茄杂交种纯度的鉴定研究

应用RAPD(RandomlyamplifiedpolymorphicDNA)分子标记对番茄京丹1号和毛粉802的F1代杂交种纯度进行鉴定的实验研究。该项研究使用了10个碱基的单随机引物和10个碱基的双随机引物进行扩增。在60个单引物扩增反应中获得7个京丹1号父本特有的核酸标记片段。但在14个双随机引物对京丹1号和毛粉802杂交组合的扩增反应中获得了7个京丹1号F1代杂交种特有的核酸标记片段和5个毛粉802父本特有的标记带。实验结果显示,双引物的扩增反应对鉴定双亲亲缘关系极近的杂交种纯度较单引物扩增反应更有效。其中,京丹1号的14个标记片段在北京蔬菜研究中心,种子纯度检测室又进行了重复扩增实验。实验结果为87%的RAPD标记可以在使用不同的PCR仪和不同来源的Taq酶的实验条件下得到。RAPD分子标记技术对鉴定双亲亲缘关系极近的杂交种纯度是真实可靠的。     

Molecularmarker diversity and hybrid sterility in indica-japonica rice crosses

 The partial sterility of hybrids between the indica and japonica rice subspecies of Asian cultivated rice is a serious constraint for utilizing inter-subspecific heterosis in hybrid rice breeding. In this study, we have investigated the relationship between molecular-marker polymorphism and indica-japonica hybrid fertility using a diallel set involving 20 rice accessions including 9 indica and 11 japonica varieties. Spikelet fertility of the resulting 190 F₁s and their parents was examined in a replicated field trial. Intra-subspecific hybrids showed much higher spikelet fertility than inter-subspecific hybrids except in crosses involving wide-compatibility varieties. The parents were surveyed for DNA polymorphism using 96 RFLP and ten SSR markers, which revealed extensive genetic differentiation between indica and japonica varieties. A large number of markers detected highly significant effects on hybrid fertility. The chromosomal locations for many of the positive markers coincided well with previously identified loci for hybrid sterility. The correlation between hybrid fertility and parental distance was low in both intra- and inter-subspecific crosses. The results suggest that the genetic basis of indica-japonica hybrid sterility is complex. It is the qualitative, rather than the quantitative, difference between the parents that determines the fertility of hybrids. Received: 3 January 1997/Accepted: 17 January 1997     

Identification of sunflower genotypes using microsatellite markers

Polymorphism of some DNA microsatellite sequences of sunflower breeding genotypes (inbred lines, hybrids) was investigated. Allelic composition on 8 SSR loci is unique characteristic of every analysed genotype allowing their identification. Microsatellite markers are proposed to be used for definition of line genetic purity and of F1 seeds hybridity range.     

Prediction of hybrid performance in maize using molecular markers and joint analyses of hybrids and parental inbreds

The identification of superior hybrids is important for the success of a hybrid breeding program. However, field evaluation of all possible crosses among inbred lines requires extremely large resources. Therefore, efforts have been made to predict hybrid performance (HP) by using field data of related genotypes and molecular markers. In the present study, the main objective was to assess the usefulness of pedigree information in combination with the covariance between general combining ability (GCA) and per se performance of parental lines for HP prediction. In addition, we compared the prediction efficiency of AFLP and SSR marker data, estimated marker effects separately for reciprocal allelic configurations (among heterotic groups) of heterozygous marker loci in hybrids, and imputed missing AFLP marker data for marker-based HP prediction. Unbalanced field data of 400 maize dent × flint hybrids from 9 factorials and of 79 inbred parents were subjected to joint analyses with mixed linear models. The inbreds were genotyped with 910 AFLP and 256 SSR markers. Efficiency of prediction (R ²) was estimated by cross-validation for hybrids having no or one parent evaluated in testcrosses. Best linear unbiased prediction of GCA and specific combining ability resulted in the highest efficiencies for HP prediction for both traits (R ² = 0.6–0.9), if pedigree and line per se data were used. However, without such data, HP for grain yield was more efficiently predicted using molecular markers. The additional modifications of the marker-based approaches had no clear effect. Our study showed the high potential of joint analyses of hybrids and parental inbred lines for the prediction of performance of untested hybrids.     

Association mapping to discover significant marker-trait associations for resistance against fusarium wilt variant 2 in pigeonpea [<Emphasis Type="Italic">Cajanus cajan</Emphasis> (L.) Millspaugh] using SSR markers

Pigeonpea production is severely constrained by wilt disease caused by Fusarium udum. In the current study, we discover the putative genomic regions that control resistance response to variant 2 of fusarium wilt using association mapping approach. The association panel comprised of 89 diverse pigeonpea genotypes including seven varieties, three landraces and 79 germplasm lines. The panel was screened rigorously for 3 consecutive years (2013–14, 2014–15 and 2015–2016) against variant 2 in a wilt-sick field. A total of 65 pigeonpea specific hypervariable SSR markers (HASSRs) were screened representing seven linkage groups and 29 scaffolds of the pigeonpea genome. A total of 181 alleles were detected, with average values of gene diversity and polymorphism information content (PIC) of 0.55 and 0.47, respectively. Further analysis using model based (STRUCTURE) and distance based (clustering) approaches separated the entire pigeonpea collection into two distinct subgroups (K = 2). The marker trait associations (MTAs) were established based on three-year wilt incidence data and SSR dataset using a unified mixed linear model. Consequently, six SSR markers were identified, which were significantly associated with wilt resistance and explained up to 6% phenotypic variance (PV) across the years. Among these SSRs, HASSR18 was found to be the most stable and significant, accounting for 5–6% PV across the years. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of identification of favourable alleles for resistance to variant 2 of Fusarium udum in pigeonpea using association mapping. The SSR markers identified here will greatly facilitate marker assisted resistance breeding against fusarium wilt in pigeonpea.     

Evaluation of genetic diversity of parental lines for development of heterotic groups in hybrid rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Knowledge of genetic diversity and potential heterotic relationships among parental lines is of significant importance in hybrid rice breeding programs. In the present study, in order to understand the genetic diversity among 96 parental lines, they were characterized for their diversity with respect to their morphological traits (n?=?12) and molecular markers using a set of 50 SSR markers. Morphological diversity was estimated using Mahalanobis D² statistics in terms of generalized group distance. Based on morphological diversity analysis, the 96 lines were grouped into 5 major and 13 monogenotypic clusters. In molecular marker analysis, the parental lines were consistently clustered into B (Maintainer group) and R (Restorer group) groups based on distance and model based approaches. Strong correspondence was observed between the pedigree of parental lines with molecular genotyping based grouping than morphological trait based grouping. From the results of the present investigation, it is evident that the available diversity among the two groups i.e., maintainer group (B) and restorer group (R) is sufficient for developing heterotic hybrids, but within the maintainer and restorer groups, the diversity is limited, the diversity among restorers was moderate, while it was low among the maintainers and hence efforts are needed for broadening their genetic base of parental lines for development and adoption of high-yielding hybrids.

     

用SSR标记鉴定大豆杂交组合F1的方法研究

为建立鉴定大豆杂种的方法,采用亲本间有多态性的3对SSR引物,对148个耐盐与盐敏感大豆品种正反交F1植株进行分子鉴定,结果表明,有81．8％的F1为真杂种,且3对多态性SSR引物检测结果一致;在亲本基因型纯合的情况下,采用1对在亲本间有多态性的SSR引物即可对F1真伪进行准确判断;亲本间分子量差异大的SSR位点可用高浓度琼脂糖电泳进行快速鉴定。利用该方法对2007年参加国家大豆区试的大豆杂交种品系H02—286的50粒种子进行纯度鉴定,进一步验证了SSR标记检测杂种真伪的可行性。     

Fertility restoration in cytoplasmic-nuclear male-sterile lines derived from 3 wild relatives of pigeonpea

Three cytoplasmic-nuclear male-sterile (CMS) lines, one each derived from Cajanus sericeus (A(1) cytoplasm), Cajanus scarabaeoides (A(2) cytoplasm), and Cajanus cajanifolius (A(4) cytoplasm), were crossed to 7 pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.) cultivars in a line x tester mating scheme to study the fertility restoration of the CMS lines. Twenty-one F(1) hybrid combinations were planted in unreplicated 3-row plots in 3 environments. There was no effect of environments on the expression of fertility restoration. Pigeonpea cultivar ICPL 129-3 restored fertility in A(1) cytoplasm and maintained male sterility in the other 2 (A(2) and A(4)) cytoplasms. Among crosses involving CMS line (of A(4) cytoplasm) ICPA 2039 one hybrid combination was male-sterile and another male fertile. The remaining 5 combinations segregated for male-fertility (66-84% fertility restoration). Such testers can easily be purified for use in hybrid breeding programs by selfing and single-plant selection for 2-3 generations.     

Determination of heterotic groups for tropical Indica hybrid rice germplasm

Key message

Two heterotic groups and four heterotic patterns were identified for IRRI hybrid rice germplasm to develop hybrid rice in the tropics based on SSR molecular data and field trials.

Abstract

Information on heterotic groups and patterns is a fundamental prerequisite for hybrid crop breeding; however, no such clear information is available for tropical hybrid rice breeding after more than 30 years of hybrid rice commercialization. Based on a study of genetic diversity using molecular markers, 18 parents representing hybrid rice populations historically developed at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) were selected to form diallel crosses of hybrids and were evaluated in tropical environments. Yield, yield heterosis and combining ability were investigated with the main objectives of (1) evaluating the magnitude of yield heterosis among marker-based parental groups, (2) examining the consistency between marker-based group and heterotic performance of hybrids, and (3) identifying foundational hybrid parents in discrete germplasm pools to provide a reference for tropical indica hybrid rice breeding. Significant differences in yield, yield heterosis and combining ability were detected among parents and among hybrids. On average, the hybrids yielded 14.8 % higher than the parents. Results revealed that inter-group hybrids yielded higher, with higher yield heterosis than intra-group hybrids. Four heterotic patterns within two heterotic groups based on current IRRI B- and R-line germplasm were identified. Parents in two marker-based groups were identified with limited breeding value among current IRRI hybrid rice germplasm because of their lowest contribution to heterotic hybrids. Heterotic hybrids are significantly correlated with high-yielding parents. The efficiency of breeding heterotic hybrids could be enhanced using selected parents within identified marker-based heterotic groups. This information is useful for exploiting those widely distributed IRRI hybrid rice parents.     

An intra-specific consensus genetic map of pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh] derived from six mapping populations

Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.) is an important food legume crop of rainfed agriculture. Owing to exposure of the crop to a number of biotic and abiotic stresses, the crop productivity has remained stagnant for almost last five decades at ca. 750?kg/ha. The availability of a cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) system has facilitated the development and release of hybrids which are expected to enhance the productivity of pigeonpea. Recent advances in genomics and molecular breeding such as marker-assisted selection (MAS) offer the possibility to accelerate hybrid breeding. Molecular markers and genetic maps are pre-requisites for deploying MAS in breeding. However, in the case of pigeonpea, only one inter- and two intra-specific genetic maps are available so far. Here, four new intra-specific genetic maps comprising 59-140 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci with map lengths ranging from 586.9 to 881.6?cM have been constructed. Using these four genetic maps together with two recently published intra-specific genetic maps, a consensus map was constructed, comprising of 339 SSR loci spanning a distance of 1,059?cM. Furthermore, quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis for fertility restoration (Rf) conducted in three mapping populations identified four major QTLs explaining phenotypic variances up to 24?%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on construction of a consensus genetic map in pigeonpea and on the identification of QTLs for fertility restoration. The developed consensus genetic map should serve as a reference for developing new genetic maps as well as correlating with the physical map in pigeonpea to be developed in near future. The availability of more informative markers in the bins harbouring QTLs for sterility mosaic disease (SMD) and Rf will facilitate the selection of the most suitable markers for genetic analysis and molecular breeding applications in pigeonpea.     

First draft genome sequencing of fennel (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Foeniculum vulgare</Emphasis> Mill.): identification of simple sequence repeats and their application in marker-assisted breeding

The development of F₁ hybrid varieties benefits from the synergistic effect of conventional and molecular marker-assisted breeding schemes. A sequencing run was carried out in Foeniculum vulgare (2n?=?2x?=?22) to develop the first genome draft and to identify microsatellites suitable for implementing multilocus SSR marker assays. A preliminary cytometric analysis allowed us to estimate the genome size (2C?=?2.64–2.86 pg), equal to about 1.34 Mbp for 1C genome, and to calculate the sequencing coverage (53×). The genome draft assembly into 300,408 scaffolds and its bioinformatic analysis enabled the annotation of coding and non-coding regions across the genome, including 103,306 SSR elements. A total of 100 microsatellites were randomly chosen among those with dinucleotide and trinucleotide repeat motifs and with a repeat motif length?≥?25 times and were preliminarily tested. Of these, 27 SSR markers, classified as suitable for genetic diversity analyses, were efficiently organized in five PCR multiplex assays and validated using a core collection of 100 fennel individuals potentially useful for the development of inbred lines and F₁ hybrids. All SSR loci were found to be polymorphic, scoring an observed number of marker alleles Na?=?207 and an average polymorphism information content PIC?=?0.69. The SSR data were used to calculate (i) the degree of homozygosity for the individual inbred lines (0.35?<?Ho?<?0.96), to eventually plan additional selfing or sibling cycles, and (ii) the degree of genetic similarity for all possible pair-wise comparisons between parental inbred lines (GS?=?0.55–0.77), to identify the most divergent combinations for the constitution of experimental F₁ hybrids. The integration of genotypic and phenotypic data was useful for implementing guidelines for precision hybrid breeding schemes in fennel.     

Prediction of hybrid grain yield performances in Indica Rice (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oryza sativa</Emphasis> L.) with effect-increasing loci

One hundred and fifty-one rice hybrids produced in two sets of half-dialell crosses and their parents (13 cytoplasmic male sterile lines and 19 restorers) were used to predict the F₁ performances of seven yield traits through the parental genetic distances (GD) based on SSR markers. The positive loci (PL) and effect-increasing loci (IL), which were screened from SSR polymorphic loci by the F₁ traits of 32 parents, together with total loci (TL), were utilized to estimate parental GD and the models were found to predict the traits of hybrids derived from different parents, fixed parents, and different environments, respectively. The results were as follows: (1) 550 polymorphic loci were detected from 174 SSR markers: a dendrogram based on these loci could separate all the sterile and restorer lines used in the present study, which indicated that parental genetic diversity of F₁ was large; (2) the correlations between F₁ traits and parental GDs based on IL ranged from 0.61 to 0.87 with a mean of 0.76, and they were higher than those on TL or on PL; (3) predictions based on IL for F₁ traits (except grain weight per plant) derived from different environments were ideal, but worse for F₁ traits derived from different parents; and (4) IL was more effective than TL and PL in predicting traits of F₁ with fixed parents, and predictions for fixed restorer combinations were more effective than those for fixed sterile line combinations. These results should facilitate molecular prediction for hybrid yield and other traits by means of both elite sterile and restorer lines.     

SSR heterogenic patterns of parents for marking and predicting heterosis in rice breeding

The most important concerns of hybrid rice breeders are selection of donors to improve parental lines and prediction of hybrid performance. In this study, SSR molecular marker technology and a half-diallel method were used to address these related hybrid production issues. The results show that genetic diversity among the parental lines is certainly related to heterosis. The heterozygosity of each parental pair is significantly associated with the general combining ability, not with the specific combining ability. However, neither genetic diversity nor heterozygosity is a good indicator for predicting heterosis. From these results, it is suggested that donors for improving parents of hybrids be selected from the improved inbred lines by conventional breeding programs. In this investigation, we also discovered that four favorable alleles and six favorable heterogenic patterns on the parental lines significantly contribute to the heterosis of their hybrids in grain yield, whereas six unfavorable alleles and six unfavorable heterogenic patterns significantly reduce heterosis. These noticeable findings could be, in practice, useful for hybrid rice breeding programs with SSR marker-assisted selection. It is suggested that the optimal combinations with the superior grain yield could be bred out by assembling those favorable alleles into their parental lines and by removing the unfavorable alleles from the parental lines. This study also indicates that there is still a great heterosis potential to be exploited in indica/indica hybrids by the same strategy. In indica/japonica hybrid breeding programs, it may also be important to remove unfavorable alleles rather than broaden genetic diversity or heterozygosity of the parents.     

The use of SSRs for predicting the hybrid yield and yield heterosis in 15 key inbred lines of Chinese maize

A challenge to maize breeders is to predict and identify inbred lines that can produce highly heterotic hybrids precisely. In the present study we surveyed the genetic diversity among 15 elite inbred lines of maize in China with SSR markers and assessed the relationship between SSR marker and hybrid yield/yield heterosis in a diallel set of 105 crosses. Forty-three SSR primers selected from all sixty-three primers gave stable profiles amplified in the sample of 15 inbred lines, which could clearly resolve on 4% metaphor agarose gel. The average number of alleles per SSR locus was 4.44 with a range from 2 to 9. The polymorphism information content (PIC) for the SSR loci varied from 0.28 to 0.81 with a mean of 0.6281. Genetic similarity (GS) among 15 lines was estimated with 191 alleles identified as raw data, the Nei's coefficient of GS ranged from 0.492 for 478 vs HZ4 up to 0.745 for E28 to ZH64 with a mean of 0.619. The cluster diagram based upon the SSR data grouped the 15 lines into families consistent with the yield heterotic response of these. Genetic distance (GD) based on SSR data was significantly correlated with hybrid yield/yield heterosis, the correlation coefficient (r) being 0.5432 and 0.4271 in 1999 and 0.4305 and 0.3614 in 1998 field test, respectively, whereas the determination coefficient (r2) was lower. The correlation between GD based on SSR data and hybrid yield/yield heterosis changed alone with the difference of number and pedigree relationship among parents that were used in this study. SSR makers showed high polymorphism and could be used to assess the relationship between inbred lines of maize, but it was difficult to predict the yield heterosis of maize.     

Identification of simple sequence repeat markers for utilizing wide-compatibility genes in inter-subspecific hybrids in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Although pronounced heterosis in inter-subspecific hybrids was known in rice for a long time, its utilization for hybrid rice breeding has been limited due to their hybrid sterility (HS). For the last two decades, however, a few inter-subspecific hybrids have been developed by incorporating wide-compatibility genes (WCG) that resolve HS, into parental lines of these inter-subspecific hybrids. For effective use of WCG, it is necessary to find convenient markers linked to WCG of practical importance. In this paper, initially a set of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in the vicinity of known WCG loci identified based on comparative linkage maps have been surveyed in a population derived from the three-way cross- IR36/Dular//Akihikari, where a known donor of WCG Dular was crossed to a representative indica and japonica cultivar. Of the five parental polymorphic markers, RM253 and RM276 were found to be closely linked to the WCG locus S5 at a distance of 3.0 and 2.8 cM, respectively. Later, loci for HS were examined in three F₂ populations derived from inter-subspecific crosses, with same set of SSR markers. The locus S8 was confirmed to have major influence on HS in the F₂ population derived from CHMRF-1/Taichung65 since two SSR markers in its vicinity, RM412 and RM141, co-segregated with HS at a map distance of 7.6 and 4.8 cM, respectively. In the F₂ population derived from the cross BPT5204/Taipei309, three SSR markers in the vicinity of S5, RM50, RM276 and RM136 co-segregated with HS at a map distance of 4.2, 3.2 and 7.8 cM, respectively. In the third F₂ population derived from Swarna/Taipei309, the SSR markers in the vicinity of S5, RM225, RM253, RM50, RM276 and RM136 were identified to co-segregate with HS at a map distance of 3.2, 2.6, 3.4, 2.6 and 6.6 cM, respectively. These results indicated a clear picture of WCG in Dular as well as the predominant role of HS alleles at S5 locus. The identified SSR markers are expected to be used for incorporation of WCG into parental lines in hybrid rice breeding to solve HS in inter-subspecific hybrids.S.P. Singh , R.M. Sundaram contributed equally