Abstract
The genetic model for hybrid sterility that an allelic interaction at the S 5 locus induces the abortion of megaspores has been proposed as partial clarification of the wide compatibility in Asian rice cultivars; this model predicts the presence of an egg-killer. The present study was carried out in order to confirm that the proposed S i5 allele acts as an egg-killer against its counterpart, the S j5 allele, in the Indica-Japonica hybrid. A conspicuous feature of an egg-killer is the high rate of its transmission into the progeny through the egg. Backcrossing experiments were conducted using the Indica-Japonica hybrid in which the S i5 and S j5 alleles were assumed to be involved. Although an egg-killer was easily identified by these backcross experiments, it was not detected in the Indica-Japonica hybrid, which suggests that the proposed genetic mechanism for hybrid sterility in Asian rice should be viewed with caution.
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Communicated by G. S. Khus
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Sano, Y. Is an egg-killer present in rice?. Theoret. Appl. Genetics 86, 1038–1042 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00211059
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00211059