Wheat-pollen sterility induced by 2.chloroethylphosphonic acid (ethrel)

Abstract

Male sterility and female fertility were determined in greenhouse and field-grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) following application of 2-chloroethylphosphonic acid (ethrel) as a gametocide. Sensitivity to ethrel treatment was greater under grenhouse than under field conditions. Genotypes treated with ethrel produced little or no seed set. It was also important to choose a proper ethrel concentration, inducing high sterility, not damaging the plants and not preventing full earing. The work showed stage of application to be critical due to the time of effectiveness of ethrel application to be relatively short. The results indicated that production of usable male sterility in wheat utilizing ethrel appears feasible, mainly in wheat breeding methods now requiring hand emasculation for conventional variety improvement.