Male Sterility in Barley

The anther form and development of eight two-rowed genie male sterile barley mutants are abnormal. The male sterility in each mutant is conditioned by single non-allelic recessive genes. These mutant genes cause reductions in anther size and lumen diameter. Though in seven mutants, the male meiosis is normal until microspore liberation, the micro-spores abort in all cases after release from the PMCs. In one mutant, the microspores degenerate at the tetrad stage before release from the PMCs. In four mutants, the tapetal development and disintegration are normal, in four others they are abnormal. Despite these variations, the male sterility in all the eight mutants is complete.