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Seventeen pairs of CMS (A) and maintainer (B) lines were evaluated for fifteen traits (both floral and morphological) influencing outcrossing in rice. Considerable variation exhisted in the population for all the traits. B lines had bigger anthers, greater plant height and early flowering where as A lines were characterized by pronounced stigmatic traits, longer duration of anthesis and poor panicle exsertion. Male sterility followed by source sterile cytoplasm and geographical diversity were the main factors responsible for the diversity. V20 A can be used as potential source of sterile cytoplasm. Some Punjab male sterile line (PMS) were found promising but need improvement in panicle exsertion. Seven clusters were formed and these clusters can be utilised to identifyand develop CMS lines with good outcrossing ability.
CMS lines, floral morphology, outcrossing, genetic diversity, rice
