Functional male-sterility expressed in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) containing the cytoplasm of S. kurzii Brace & Prain

In order, to develop a male-sterile eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), cytoplasm. substitution lines of eggplant were produced by continuous backcrossing using S. kurzii Brace & Prain as cytoplasm donor and eggplant as nucleus donor. Analyses of chloroplast DNA and mitochondrial DNA confirmed that all backcross progenies had the cytoplasm from S. kurzii. Anthers in some BC1 and BC2 plants, and in most BC3 plants were. of the indehiscent-type (i.e., pollen non-release type). Pollen, fertility remained low in all backcross progenies. The number of seeds per fruit in the backcross progenies increased in successive generations. Functional male-sterility of. the anther- indehiscent-type Was shown, to be attributed to. incompatibility between the cytoplasm of S. kurzii and nuclear genes of S. melongena. The present. male-sterile lines are potentially valuable to reduce the cost of developing hybrid cultivars' and to produce. seedless eggplant fruit.