~IIT Gandhinagar and ICAR-DRMR researchers have characterised four genes controlling self-incompatibility in toria and yellow sarson, opening possibilities for high-yielding hybrid mustard development.
Gandhinagar, Gujarat, Aug 31 (VNI): Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Directorate of Rapeseed-Mustard Research (ICAR-DRMR), Bharatpur, have characterised the genes responsible for the natural self-rejection mechanism in India’s commercial mustard varieties toria and yellow sarson. The study could provide a molecular foundation for developing high-yielding hybrid mustard varieties and reducing India’s dependence on imported edible oil.
The researchers mapped four key genes — SRK, FER1, MLPK and ARC1 — involved in the molecular mechanism that enables certain mustard flowers to reject their own pollen and accept pollen from other plants. The study combined controlled pollination experiments, molecular genetics and Artificial Intelligence-based protein structure prediction using AlphaFold3 to understand how these genes regulate self-incompatibility.
The study found that toria rejects its own pollen, while yellow sarson is self-compatible. When the researchers temporarily silenced SRK, FER1 or ARC1 in toria, the self-rejection mechanism collapsed and the flowers began accepting their own pollen. The findings confirmed the critical role of these genes in controlling the self-incompatibility response. MLPK, traditionally considered an important component of the pathway in related mustard species, showed a more limited role in toria, suggesting that it may have a secondary or redundant function in this variety.
The researchers also identified a second defence mechanism involving Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), which can prevent incompatible pollen from germinating. The findings indicated that the mustard flower uses multiple molecular pathways to prevent unwanted self-pollination. The genes were found to be highly conserved across Brassica species, while structural analysis showed that their proteins retain functional domains associated with pollen recognition and signalling.
According to the researchers, the findings could help breeders exploit natural self-incompatibility to produce hybrid seeds more efficiently, without manually removing pollen from thousands of flowers. The study, published in Frontiers in Plant Science, provides a foundation for developing mustard hybrids with traits such as higher oil content, disease resistance and improved resilience to erratic weather. The researchers noted that permanent gene-editing and transgenic validation will be important future steps. VNI NEWS, IIT Gandhinagar, ICAR-DRMR, mustard, toria, yellow sarson, self-incompatibility, hybrid mustard, edible oil, agricultural research, AlphaFold3, mustard self-rejection genes, IIT Gandhinagar mustard research, hybrid mustard development, toria self-incompatibility, VNINews, VNINews.com