Genetic analysis of temperature-sensitive male sterilty in rice

The present study of genetic analysis is an attempt to precisely characterize diverse temperature-sensitive genic male-sterile (TGMS) lines so as to explore the possibilities of utilizing the most promising in large-scale hybrid seed production. Genetical studies revealed that the TGMS segregants derived from crosses involving TGMS lines ID24 and SA2 expressed differential fertility levels at low-temperature conditions. A majority of these progenies expressed transgressive segregation towards either sterility of fertility, causing instability of sterility and low reversibilty of fertility which may be due to large numbers of single-locus QTLs and their epistatic interactions. We identified two putative genes imparting temperature-sensitive male sterility after observing crosses involving diverse TGMS sources. To identify suitable molecular markers closely linked to the trait we used RAPD, AFLP and microsatellites which generated polymorphism through bulked segregant analysis. AFLP analysis using a smaller genome kit resulted in enormous polymorphism, out of which the combination EAA/MCAG amplified a 330-bp fragment, which closely segregated with the gene at a distance of 5.3 cM. This fragment was eluted for cloning and from the sequence a STS primer (TS200) was developed which produced a dominant polymorphism specific to TGMS. The microsatellite RM257, located earlier on chromosome 9, was linked with the TGMS trait in SA2 at a distance of 6.2 cM. RM257 produced a codominant polymorphism with 145-bp (sterile) and 132-bp (fertile) products. Both individually and collectively, the markers TS200 and RM257 located on either side of the TGMS locus are very useful for marker-assisted selection. Received: 10 April 1999 / Accepted: 29 July 1999