Functional Male Sterility in Toria

A spontaneous, close petalled and protruded stigma mutant was observed in a cross pollinated population of toria (Brassica compestris var. toria). The mutant was functionally male sterile. Anthers of this mutant were non-functional. No apparent meiotic abnormality was found in microspore formation. However, in the post meiotic stages, the tapetal cells have persisted till to the pollen stage. The studies indicated that the non-degeneration of tapetal cells rendered the anthers non-dehiscent and functionally sterile. The inheritance of male sterility was observed to be monogenic recessive.