Hybrid Seed Production

Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 2 Hybrid Seed Production of Rice ......................................................................................................... 3 Hybrid seed production of Maize ..................................................................................................... 13 Hybrid seed production of Tomato .................................................................................................. 17 Hybrid seed production of pumpkin ................................................................................................ 20 Basic requirements in hybrid seed production ................................................................................. 22 Sustainability of commercial hybrid seed production ....................................................................... 23 references ....................................................................................................................................... 23

1

Introduction
Seed is a mature integumented megasporangium or mature ovule consisting of embryonic plants together whit store food material covered by a protective coat (mega sporangium i.e. female gametophyte –the pistils are the female reproductive organs called megasporophylly in the flowering plants) the ovary of the carpel contains ovules (megasprorangia) In hybrid seed production, the crosses are specific and controlled. The advantage of growing hybrid seed compared to inbred lines comes from heterosis. To produce hybrid seed, elite inbred varieties are crossed with well-documented and consistent phenotypes (such as yield) and the resulting hybrid seed is collected. Another factor that is important in hybrid seed production is the combining ability of the parent plants. Although two elite inbred parent plant varieties may produce the highest yields of their