Molecular Basis Of Cold-Induced Pollen Sterility In Rice.

Abstract

Cold-induced pollen sterility is the most yield-affecting problem for the Australian rice industry,leading to yield losses of 20-40%,or A$15-29 million, on average every 3-4 years. The molecular basis of the problem remains largely unknown, and breeding efforts have been largely unsuccessful due to the lack of reliable selection techniques in the field/glass house, and the lack of molecular markers for selection of coldtolerant lines. Identification of the molecular basis of the problem may lead to the identification of markers that will greatly facilitate breeding of cold-tolerant Australian rice varieties. Our starting point was to study the accumulation of sucrose that occurs in anthers after cold treatment. We investigated whether cold affects expression of a gene involved in sucrose metabolism, thereby introducing a metabolic block in sucrose metabolism.