AUTHOR=Cai Yaming , Ma Zhishen , Ogutu Collins Otieno , Zhao Lei , Liao Liao , Zheng Beibei , Zhang Ruoxi , Wang Lu , Han Yuepeng TITLE=Potential Association of Reactive Oxygen Species With Male Sterility in Peach JOURNAL=Frontiers in Plant Science VOLUME=12 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2021.653256 DOI=10.3389/fpls.2021.653256 ISSN=1664-462X ABSTRACT=

Male sterility is an important agronomic trait for hybrid vigor utilization and hybrid seed production, but its underlying mechanisms remain to be uncovered. Here, we investigated the mechanisms of male sterility in peach using a combined cytology, physiology, and molecular approach. Cytological features of male sterility include deformed microspores and tapetum cells along with absence of pollen grains. Microspores had smaller nucleus at the mononuclear stage and were compressed into belts and subsequently disappeared in the anther cavity, whereas tapetum cells were swollen and vacuolated, with a delayed degradation to flowering time. Male sterile anthers had an ROS burst and lower levels of major antioxidants, which may cause abnormal development of microspores and tapetum, leading to male sterility in peach. In addition, the male sterility appears to be cytoplasmic in peach, which could be due to sequence variation in the mitochondrial genome. Our results are helpful for further investigation of the genetic mechanisms underlying male sterility in peach.