Research Highlights of the CIMMYT Wheat Program 1999-2000

The high cost of hybrid seed is one of the major
limiting factors for the commercialization of hybrid
wheat. Experience at CIMMYT shows that for
triticale, costs of hybrid seed production are
substantially lower when compared with wheat
due to high, close-to-normal seed set in hybrid
production plots. Furthermore, fewer male
pollinator rows need to be planted. CMS hybrids
show clear advantages over CHA hybrids in terms
of seed production costs. Production of CHA
hybrids does involve substantial costs due to
determining the dosis of the gametocide,
monitoring seed production fields to optimize the
application of the chemical hybridizing agent,
gametocide product costs, and royalties for the
gametocide. Furthermore, male pollinators can be
blended with CMS females and planted as mixture
for hybrid seed production to further reduce costs.
This practice is common in hybrid rye production
in Europe.
Lack of uniformity in CMS hybrids and a certain
percentage of the male in hybrid seed are likely
irrelevant, e.g., for forage and grazing hybrids.
Moreover, forage/grazing CMS hybrids do not
require fertility restoration in the hybrid; hence,
hybrid development is less complicated and costly.
On the other hand, the costs of developing CMS
hybrids are much higher than for developing CHA
hybrids, and crop improvement is complicated and
requires a considerable amount of resources.
Molecular markers for restorer/non-restorer genes
could dramatically reduce the cost of developing
CMS hybrids (> 75%).
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