Question

Male sterile lines were discovered in
(a) Wheat
(b) Maize
(c) Onion
(d) Sunflower

Answer 1

Hint: This is also known as Indian Corn and it has been grown by humans since ancient times. This corn is eaten directly by humans and considered the third most important cereal crop in the world.

Complete answer:
Male sterility in a plant is an abnormal condition characterized by nonfunctional pollen grains, while female gametes function normally. It occurs due to the failure in the formation or development of functional stamens, microspores, or gametes.
Male sterile lines were discovered in maize plants. The other factors responsible for male sterility are abnormal microsporogenesis, abnormal pollen maturation, Barriers other than incompatibility that prevents the pollen from reaching the ovule.
Types of male sterility based on phenotype (observable characters):
1. Pollen sterility: in this case, the male- sterile individuals differ from the normal individual only in the absence or extreme scarcity of functional pollen grains.
2. Staminal sterility: in this case, the male flowers or stamen are malformed and become non- functional or completely absent.
3. Functional male sterility: in this case, the perfectly good and viable pollen is trapped in indehiscent anther and thus, due to lack of dehiscence, prevented from functioning
- J.K. Koelreuter in 1763 was the first to observe anther abortion within species & species hybrids.
- Two other plants in which the male sterility has been reported are cabbage and cauliflower.
- Male sterility systems have also been developed with the help of genetic engineering and fusion of the protoplast.
- Male sterility can also be induced through mutagenesis (mutation causing substances).
So, the correct answer is, ‘Maize.’

Note: Male sterility is used in agriculture to facilitate the production of hybrid seed, to enhance the vigor of the offspring plant. Hybrid seeds are of major commercial importance and are produced from a cross between two genetically different lines or plants.