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Grain Yield Increase and Pollen Containment by Plus‐Hybrids Could Improve Acceptance of Transgenic Maize
Author(s) -
Munsch Magali A.,
Stamp Peter,
Christov Nikolai K.,
Foueillassar Xavier M.,
Hüsken Alexandra,
Camp KarlHeinz,
Weider Christophe
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci2009.03.0117
Subject(s) - hybrid , biology , pollen , cytoplasmic male sterility , bacillus thuringiensis , sterility , pollination , heterosis , agronomy , horticulture , grain yield , hybrid seed , yield (engineering) , botany , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , materials science , bacteria , metallurgy
Maize ( Zea mays L.) Plus‐Hybrids are a blend of cytoplasmic male‐sterile (CMS) hybrids and unrelated male‐fertile hybrids ensuring pollination of the whole stand. Combining potential benefits of male sterility (CMS effect) and allo‐pollination (xenia effect), they often outperform the corresponding male‐fertile sib‐pollinated hybrids in terms of yield. The combining abilities of five CMS hybrids and eight pollinators were investigated in a factorial split‐plot design in 12 environments in four countries and two years. The plant material from different breeders represented the three types of male‐sterile cytoplasm. Plus‐Hybrids increased grain yield, on average, by 10% or more and by up to 20% in specific environments. Three highly responsive CMS hybrids and four generally good pollinators were identified. The Plus‐Hybrid effect affected both yield components, CMS leading mainly to a higher number of kernels (KN) and the xenia effect mainly to an increase in the thousand kernel weight (TKW). Despite some differences in the response of the three types of CMS, the effect of the cytoplasm was not significant. While the CMS effect depended strongly on environment, the xenia was consistent in all environments but its extent varied. As well as increasing yield, we can expect that Plus‐Hybrids can make a large contribution to the coexistence of transgenic and conventional maize by biocontainment, that is, eliminating or reducing the release of transgenic pollen in Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) maize or herbicide‐tolerant (HT) maize.