Male sterility in muskmelon is governed by:

Correct option is A

In muskmelon ( Cucumis melo), male sterility is an important trait utilized in hybrid seed production to avoid manual emasculation and ensure cross-pollination.
Key Points:
· Male sterility in muskmelon is governed by a single recessive gene.
· Genetic male sterility means:
· Plants carrying two copies of the recessive allele (homozygous recessive) express male sterility.
· They produce non-functional or no pollen, but the female reproductive parts remain functional.
· Importance:
· It simplifies hybrid seed production since male sterile plants do not need manual emasculation.
· Helps in the easy development of commercial hybrids with desirable traits.
· Symbolic Representation:
· Often, male sterility is denoted as msms (homozygous recessive for male sterility).
Other Options Explained:
· (b) Single dominant gene: Would cause sterility with one copy, but muskmelon male sterility is recessive, not dominant.
· (c) Cytoplasm: Refers to cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) seen in some other crops like sorghum and sunflower, not typical for muskmelon.
· (d) Cytoplasm and nuclear gene: Known as cytoplasmic-genic male sterility (CGMS), which also does not apply to muskmelon.