An Overview on Exploitation of Male Sterility for Development of Hybrids and Seed Production in Hot Pepper

Male-sterility in chilli was documented for the first time in the 1950’s. Since then, considerable knowledge has been accumulated on the nature of the trait, the means of its identification, induction, inhritance of both genetic and cytoplasmic genetic male-sterility, maintenance of inbreds, and their potential for breeding hybrid cultivars. Heterosis for various economic traits like; maturity, fruit weight, size, number and total yield have been utilized. Today, several internationally known seed companies and research institute use the genetic mechanism [msms] on a large scale for producing hybrids of sweet pepper, whereas the cytoplasmic genetic sterility [(S) Rf rf] is used mainly for breeding pungent hybrids. The possibilities of exploitation of male sterility for crop improvement as well as production of F1 hybrids have been reviewed and discussed in the present paper. Biochemical as well as biotechnological aspects of this phenomenon has also been vividly reviewed.