Abstract: A rice mutant allele designated Rc-g is disclosed. The invention relates to the Rc-g nucleotide sequence, the amino acid sequence, rice seeds containing the mutant allele Rc-g, to rice plants containing the mutant allele Rc-g and to methods for producing a rice plant containing the mutant allele Rc-g produced by crossing a rice plant containing allele Rc-g with itself or another rice variety. The invention further relates to hybrid rice seeds and hybrid rice plants containing mutant allele Rc-g.

Abstract: Heterosis designates the increased growth or other augmented action resulting from crossing, however it is produced. Male sterility of female parent is an important biological mechanism for the commercial production of hybrid seed. Male sterility can be created by genetic manipulation, environmental influences, chemical induction and biological engineering. In principle, male sterility is a physiological disorder and the creation of complete male sterility either is costly or brings about other physiological disorders. Integrating the resistance gene to a non-selective herbicide into male parent and spraying the herbicide onto the hybrid population resulting from mating with the male parent for securing hybrid purity reduce the strict demand for complete male sterility. Therefore, simple and practical methodologies such as environmental and chemical means can be employed in the induction of male sterility, and the conflict of male sterility with other physiological disorders can be well balanced.