Abstract: It was reviewed here that the major advances of biological research on the cytoplasmic male sterility (cms) and its fertility restoration in plants in the past decade. It focused on the identification of the cms- associated regions in the plant mitochondrial genome and their expressing profile, the possible mechanisms of cms and of fertility restoration, the genetics and localization of the restorer genes and their molecular characteristics. Sequencing the mitochondrial genome in Arabidopsis thaliana and rice were completed and their bio-information and subsequent researching advances would greatly impelled the similar work in other plants.