Modeling Male Fertility in Sorghum

摘要

Environmental variation can affect pollen viability in sorghum. Temperatures below 13 deg C during sensitive stages can induce male-sterility (Downes and Marshall 1971; Brooking 1976) and high temperatures appear to have a similar effect (Dhopte 1984). Significant relationships between reduced pollen viability and reduced seed set and increased ergot severity in sorghum have been documented (Ogunlela and Eastin 1984; McLaren 1997). Therefore, it is desirable to develop lines with improved male fertility characteristics to avoid seed losses and ergot epidemics in hybrid seed production fields. The objective of this study was to determine relationships between pollen production, time to shed, and pollen viability in sorghum and various weather variables.