Production of F1 hybrid rice seeds

For the produce hybrid seeds, the male parents (the tall plants in the middle of the photo above) are sowed alternatively with the male sterile female lines (at the sides of the photo).  In this way the male parents pollinate the male sterile female lines, producing hybrid seeds from the male sterile plants.

The male parents (the dead plants in the middle of the photo) are removed after the pollination.  Later hybrid seeds will be harvested.  

Photos provided by C.M. Liu