| Crop | Male Sterility System | Pollination Type | Heterosis Level | Seed Production Method | Key Advantages | Commercial Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat | CMS (Triticum timopheevii) Chemical hybridizing agents (CHAs) |
Self-pollinated (~1% outcrossing) | Low to moderate (5-15%) | Three-line system (CMS) Two-line system (CHA) |
Yield advantage in some environments; breaking yield barriers | Limited commercial adoption; China leads hybrid wheat programs |
| Rice | CMS (WA, BT, LD types) TGMS/PGMS (two-line) |
Often cross-pollinated (up to 30%) | High (15-30%) | Three-line (A, B, R lines) Two-line (TGMS/PGMS) |
Significant yield increase; water use efficiency; adaptation to diverse environments | Highly successful; >50% area in China; expanding in India, Southeast Asia |
| Maize | CMS (C, S, T types) Manual/mechanical detasseling |
Cross-pollinated | Very high (20-50%) | Single cross, double cross, three-way cross | Maximum heterosis expression; uniform maturity; stress tolerance; quality traits | Dominant globally; nearly 100% hybrid cultivation in developed countries |
| Pearl Millet | CMS (A1, A2, A3, A4, A5 systems) | Cross-pollinated (protogynous) | High (25-40%) | Three-line system | Enhanced grain yield; downy mildew resistance; drought tolerance | Widely adopted in India (>70% area); limited elsewhere |
| Sorghum | CMS (A1-A6 systems; A1 most common) | Often cross-pollinated (25-30%) | High (20-35%) | Three-line system (A, B, R) | Yield stability; pest/disease resistance; grain quality; fodder yield | Major hybrid adoption in India, USA, Africa; ~50% area under hybrids globally |
| Cotton | GMS, CMS (limited) Manual emasculation |
Often cross-pollinated (20-30%) | High (15-40%) | Manual pollination GMS-based systems |
Fiber yield & quality; Bt gene pyramiding; multi-stress tolerance | Very successful; 90%+ area under hybrids in China, India; Bt hybrids dominate |
| Rapeseed-Mustard | CMS (Polima, Ogura, Tournefortii) GMS |
Often cross-pollinated (30%) | Moderate to high (15-25%) | Three-line system (Ogura most common) | Yield advantage; oil content; disease resistance; canopy architecture | Commercially successful in China, Europe, Canada (canola hybrids) |
| Sunflower | CMS (PET1, PET2 systems) | Cross-pollinated | Very high (30-60%) | Three-line system | Remarkable yield increase; oil quality; disease resistance (downy mildew, rust); uniformity | Nearly 100% hybrid cultivation worldwide |
| Safflower | GMS Manual emasculation |
Self-pollinated | Moderate (10-20%) | Manual crossing GMS-based |
Seed yield; oil content; adaptation to marginal lands | Limited commercial exploitation; research stage in most countries |
| Castor | Pistillate lines (genetic female) Monoecious × pistillate |
Cross-pollinated (monoecious) | High (30-50%) | Pistillate line as female parent | High seed yield; oil content; improved plant type; disease tolerance | Widely cultivated in India (~60% area under hybrids); success in China, Brazil |
| Pigeonpea | CMS (A2, A4, A5 systems) GMS |
Often cross-pollinated (20-40%) | High (20-40%) | Three-line system GMS-based |
Yield advantage; early maturity; wilt resistance; protein content | Commercially successful in India; hybrids cover ~20-25% area; expanding adoption |
Cereals/Millets
Oilseed Crops
Pulses
