cytoplasmic male sterility

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is a plant breeding technique that prevents the normal development or function of a plant's male reproductive organs, resulting in defective or absent pollen. This condition is controlled by genes within the cytoplasm of the female parent's egg cell and is inherited solely from the mother plant.1

CMS is crucial for producing hybrid varieties of plants, especially those that self-pollinate. By using CMS, plant breeders can efficiently create hybrid seeds without the need for manual removal of stamens, a process that is labor-intensive and costly. This technology has significantly advanced the development of hybrid crops with desirable traits like increased yield and vigor, a phenomenon known as heterosis.1