Screening of tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius L.) germplasm for male sterility*

Abstract

In absence of male sterile line in tossa jute (Corchorus olitorius L.), manual production of hybrid seed and subsequent exploitation of heterosis has become prohibitive due to high cost of F1 seed production. If male sterile line is available in tossa jute it may be utilized to get hybrid seed with lower cost of seed production. Male sterility in C. olitorius has not been reported so far. However, C. capsularis male sterile plants associated with undesirable ribbon leaf and dwarf characters have been reported [1, 2]. The practical utility of this mutant has proved negative [3]. Male sterility was later found to be associated with ribbon leaf nature in a pleiotropic manner by a single gene [4]. Incidentally a good number of olitorius germplasm has been collected. These include indigenous collection, improved types, mutant types and exotic collection. Besides our old collection, recently there has been a good collection from Africa through International Jute Organization. The objective of the study is to identify male sterile spontaneous mutant plant through screening of olitorius germplasms with a special emphasis on recently collected germplasms through International Jute Organization.