Plants with genetic female sterility

A female-sterile plant comprising a foreign DNA incorporated in the nuclear genome of its cells, wherein said foreign DNA comprises:

• (a) a female-sterility DNA encoding barnase;
• and,
• (b) a first promoter which directs expression of said female-sterility DNA selectively in style cells, stigma cells or style and stigma cells of the female reproductive organs of said plant, and which does not direct detectable expression of said female sterility DNA in the ovule or in other parts of said plant so that said plant remains male-fertile, said female sterility DNA being in the same transcriptional unit as, and under the control of, said first promoter.

A recombinant DNA which comprises a first chimeric DNA which comprises:

• (a) a female sterility DNA encoding a first protein or polypeptide which, when produced in cells of a plant, kills or significantly disturbs the metabolism, functioning or development of said cells;
• and
• (b) a first promoter which directs expression of said female-sterility DNA selectively in style cells, stigma cells or style and stigma cells of the female reproductive organs of a plant and which does not direct detectable expression of said female sterility DNA in the ovule or in other parts of said plant, said female sterility DNA being in the same transcriptional unit as, and under the control of said first promoter.

A vector suitable for transforming a cell of a plant capable of being infected with Agrobacterium, wherein said vector is pMG101 of FIG. 4, in which the PSTMG promoter is the PSTMG 4B12 promoter and is deposited at the BCCM/LMBP under accession number LMBP 3426.