Sterile male plant
Encyclopedia
Sterile male plants are plants which are incapable of producing pollen
. This is sometimes attributed to mutations in the mitochondrial DNA
which affects the Tapetum
cells in anthers which are responsible for nursing developing pollen. The mutations cause the breakdown of the mitochondria in these specific cells and result in cell death and so pollen production is interrupted. These observations have now led to transgenic sterile male plants be to made in order to create hybrid seed
s, by inserting transgenes which are specifically poisonous to Tapetum cells.
Pollen
Pollen is a fine to coarse powder containing the microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce the male gametes . Pollen grains have a hard coat that protects the sperm cells during the process of their movement from the stamens to the pistil of flowering plants or from the male cone to the...
. This is sometimes attributed to mutations in the mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA
Mitochondrial DNA is the DNA located in organelles called mitochondria, structures within eukaryotic cells that convert the chemical energy from food into a form that cells can use, adenosine triphosphate...
which affects the Tapetum
Tapetum
Tapetum can refer to:* Tapetum * Tapetum lucidum* Tapetum of corpus callosum...
cells in anthers which are responsible for nursing developing pollen. The mutations cause the breakdown of the mitochondria in these specific cells and result in cell death and so pollen production is interrupted. These observations have now led to transgenic sterile male plants be to made in order to create hybrid seed
Hybrid seed
In agriculture and gardening, hybrid seed is seed produced by cross-pollinated plants. In hybrid seed production, the crosses are specific and controlled. The advantage of growing hybrid seed compared to inbred lines comes from heterosis...
s, by inserting transgenes which are specifically poisonous to Tapetum cells.