A glutathione S-transferase gene (gst) has been introduced into restorers of cytoplasmic male sterility in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. A trans-genie restorer, signed as 'Zheda strong restorer', which has strong restorability to male sterility, was selected from progeny plants of transformants. When compared with an American restorer 'DES-HAF277', the fertility restorability of 'Zheda strong restorer' to male sterility was been enhanced by 25.8% in the percentage of viable pollens of hybrid (sterile line × restorer) F1 The hybrid gave 3.6 more bolls per plant, 10.1% less aborted seeds and 10.6% more lint yield when 'Zheda strong restorer' was used as male parent than when 'DES-HAF277' was. Southern and Northern bloting analysis showed that the foreign gsf gene was detectable and highly expressed in 'Zheda strong restorer'.
WANG Xue-de and LI Yue-you( College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310029 ,P.R. China)
