Progress in the study of genetic and molecular mechanisms of hybridization lethality in plants

Plant hybrid lethality refers to the phenomenon where the parents are normal, but their hybrid offspring exhibit abnormal development or even death, and it is classified as a post-zygotic form of reproductive isolation. Reproductive isolation plays a crucial role in species formation and maintaining species integrity, but it can also hinder the development of high-quality germplasm resources. Cloning hybrid lethality genes and analyzing their functions helps enrich our understanding of the mechanisms of species evolution and formation. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the research progress on plant hybrid lethality at the cellular, genetic, and molecular levels, explores the molecular mechanisms of hybrid lethality, deepens our understanding of this phenomenon, and offers some references for future related studies.