AN ISOZYME MARKER FOR POLLEN FERTILITY RESTORATION IN THE PAMPA CMS SYSTEM OF RYE (SECALE-CEREALE L)

Hybrid breeding in rye (Secale cereale L.) based on cytoplasmic male s terility requires a sufficient restoration of pollen fertility to guar antee full seed set in the hybrid variety. Therefore the selection of effective restorer lines is an important goal in the breeding process. An F-2 generation tracing back to a cross of a nonrestorer line as se ed parent and a restorer line, and subsequent three-way crosses betwee n the corresponding F-1 plants and a nonrestorer line were used to fin d marker genes for pollen fertility restoration. A linkage between the Prx7 isozyme locus on chromosome 1R and a putative major gene (or gen e complex) for pollen fertility restoration with a recombination value of about 20 % was found. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a marker gene for this trait in rye.