In the genus Cynara, genetic male sterility was up to now selected and characterized only in globe artichoke. This character, under the control of 2-3 recessive genes, is of post-meiotic type with non-functional pollen grains; it seems to be caused by a low nutritional activity of the anther tapetal cells during pollen ripening stage. Within a close collaboration between NOVAMONT and ENEA, a hybridization program aimed at transferring the male sterility character from artichoke into cardoon was developed. Within a F2 population obtained by selfing MS artichoke × AFFG cardoon, pollen from the inflorescences of each single plant was analysed by acetic carmine technique to detect occurrence of non-viable pollen. After three years of activity, male sterility of five cardoon plants was confirmed and clones from micropropagation were obtained. In 2017, NOVAMONT has proposed two cardoon male sterile lines for inscription into the National Register of Vegetable Varieties of Italian Agriculture Ministry with the names Mater-Seed CYN01 and Mater-Seed CYN02. For the same male sterile clones, NOVAMONT has successively deposited a patent application to the Community Plant Variety Office. © 2020 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.

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