Abstract: A new line of cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. ) named msD2-CA8057 (briefly as D:) was compared with K-, V- and T-type CMS lines by mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) RAPD analysis. It was revealed that the mtDNA of this D2 line was different from that of the other three types although differences were also found between the K-, V- and T-type lines themselves. This result provided some evidences at the molecular level for the identification of the cytoplasm of this D2 line as a new type of CMS line. In the experiment the authors also found polymorphism between two CMS lines, which had the same source of T-type cytoplasm but had different nuclear background. This was the first time to provide direct evidence about the mtDNA mutation in T-type CMS wheat lines during the routine backcross process. Such changes are most likely resulted from the influence of different nuclear background.

Key words: Wheat, Cytoplasmic male sterility, Mitochondrial DNA, RAPD