Advancements in hybrid rice production: improvements in male sterility and synthetic apomixis for sustainable agriculture

Rice serves as a staple food for approximately half of the world's population, and enhanced yields from hybrid rice play a crucial role in ensuring food security and augmenting incomes. However, the annual purchase and high cost of hybrid seeds hinder widespread hybrid rice adoption. In this review, we discuss hybrid seed production strategies based on molecular mechanisms along with biotechnological techniques employed for production and future prospects. Male-sterile lines are pivotal in hybrid seed production, with ongoing developments markedly advancing this process. Initially, cytoplasmic male-sterile lines facilitated three-line hybrid seed production. Subsequent innovations, including environmentally responsive gene-based and biotechnology-driven male-sterile lines, enabled two-line hybrid rice production. Ongoing research is focusing on implementing a one-line hybrid seed production method using apomixis, driving innovation in hybrid seed production. Overall, advancements in male-sterile lines and synthetic apomixis present promising avenues for improving the efficiency and sustainability of hybrid rice production. These developments highlight the critical need for continued research and concerted efforts to address global food security challenges.