Identification of maintainer and restorer lines based on CMS system for developing hybrid wheat in Egypt

The present study was conducted during the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 wheat growing seasons at Shandaweel Agricultural Research Station, Sohag governorate, Egypt. Three cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines, namely Vorobey A-line, Navojoa A-line and Neloki A-line of wheat having Triticum Timopheevi cytoplasmic male sterility source (three-lines system A, B and R) were crossed with twenty-five wheat genotypes as testers in line × tester fashion to identify maintainer and restorer lines for the CMS lines. Based on the evaluation of 75 hybrid combinations for pollen and spikelet fertility percent, results indicated that the identified wheat genotypes as effective maintainers were Shandaweel 1, Misr 3, Misr 4, Giza 168, Gemmeiza 11, Gemmeiza 12, Kutz, Line 1, Line 2, Line 3, Line 4 and Line 5 for all the three CMS lines, Sids 14, Giza 171, Sakha 1001, Nadi and Kenya Sunbird for Vorobey A-line and Navojoa A-line, Misr 1, Kachu #1, Francolin #1 and Baj #1 for Navojoa A-line and Neloki A-line and Sids 12 for Neloki A-line and these genotypes could be converted into new CMS lines through backcross breeding method. On the other side, the identified wheat genotypes as effective restorers were Sakha 95 for Vorobey A-line and Neloki A-line, and Kachu #1, Francolin #1 and Baj #1 for Vorobey A-line, therefore these genotypes could be used to develop promising wheat hybrids. Consequently, the presence of maintainer and restorer lines among the studied wheat genotypes indicates the possibility of developing wheat hybrids using CMS system in Egypt.