A test report on heterosis of rice restorer developed through space mutagenesis

Pure seeds of rice varieties including Minghui 63, Waiqi, Xiangge and Bei K 15 (Japanica rice), were carried into space by retrieved satellite, and under space condition, mutation took place in all the seed above mentioned. From these mutants, new restorer lines Minghui 63 with restoring ability to the sterile line of three-line indica hybrid rice had been developed, and other early restorers SP40098, SP40115, SP40037 and SP50025 have also been selected from the mutants of Indica rice Waiqi, Xiangge, and Japanica rice Bei K 15. The results indicated that space mutagenesis can not only improve existing restorers, also create new restorers. In addition, their restoring ability can be stably inherited.