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Molecular Approaches for Manipulating Male Sterility and Strategies for Fertility Restoration in Plants

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Abstract

Usable pollination control systems have proven to be effective system for the development of hybrid crop varieties, which are important for optimal performance over varied environments and years. They also act as a biocontainment to check horizontal transgene flow. In the last two decades, many genetic manipulations involving genes controlling the production of cytotoxic products, conditional male sterility, altering metabolic processes, post-transcriptional gene silencing, RNA editing and chloroplast engineering methods have been used to develop a proper pollination control system. In this review article, we outline the approaches used for generating male sterile plants using an effective pollination control system to highlight the recent progress that occurred in this area. Furthermore, we propose possible future directions for biotechnological improvements that will allow the farmers to buy hybrid seed once for many generations in a cost-effective manner.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India DST-FIST, UGC-SAP, Government of India, for the facilities provided to the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Hyderabad.

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  1. Pawan Shukla

    Present address: Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute, Central Silk Board, NH-1A, Gallandar, Pampore, J & K, 192 121, India

  2. Naveen Kumar Singh

    Present address: Agricultural Research Organization-The Volcani Center, 68 HaMaccabim Road, P.O.B 15159, 7505101, Rishon LeZion, Israel

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Sciences, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, 500046, India

    Pawan Shukla, Naveen Kumar Singh, Ranjana Gautam, Israr Ahmed, Deepanker Yadav, Akanksha Sharma & Pulugurtha Bharadwaja Kirti

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Shukla, P., Singh, N.K., Gautam, R. et al. Molecular Approaches for Manipulating Male Sterility and Strategies for Fertility Restoration in Plants. Mol Biotechnol 59, 445–457 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12033-017-0027-6

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