摘要Male-sterile plants are used in hybrid breeding to improve yield in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Developing the capability to alter fertility under dif-ferent environmental conditions could broaden germplasm resources and simplify hybrid pro-duction. However, molecular mechanisms poten-tially underlying such a system in soybean were unclear. Here, using positional cloning, we identified a gene, MALE STERILITY 3 (MS3), which encodes a nuclear-localized protein containing a plant homeo-domain (PHD)-finger domain. A spontaneous muta-tion in ms3 causing premature termination of MS3 translation and partial loss of the PHD-finger. Transgenetic analysis indicated that MS3 knockout resulted in nonfunctional pollen and no self-pollinated pods, and RNA-seq analysis revealed that MS3 affects the expression of genes associated with carbohydrate metabolism. Strikingly, the fer-tility of mutant ms3 can restore under long-d conditions. The mutant could thus be used to create a new, more stable photoperiod-sensitive genic male sterility line for two-line hybrid seed production, with significant impact on hybrid breeding and production.