Maintenance
of
Male
Sterile
Parents
for
Hybrids - Normally, genetic male sterile lines used for hybrid production are maintained through crosses with a maintainer male fertile restorer line. The F1 hybrid will be fertile, and in segregating F2 lines, male sterile plants can be selected only on maturity unless markers are used.
Therefore, the use of genetic male sterility for hybrid seed production is problematic. Therefore, in some cases maintenance of genetic male sterile plants through tissue culture has been practiced, e.g. pepper (Vallos, 1984).
