Character association studies in advanced sunflower, Helianthus annuus L. lines derived from interspecific crosses

摘要

In spite of the high genetic potential available in varieties and hybrids, the productivity of sunflower in India still hovers around 500-600 kg/ha. This is often attributed to narrow genetic base rendering the crop susceptible to various pests and diseases, There is a large scope to diversify the genetic base of the crop using the rich variation available in wild relatives of sunflower (Seller, 1992). While doing so, unwarranted gene combinations that appear in the interspecific hybridization programs might limit the utility of interspecific derived lines. Hence, the lines derived from interspecific crosses need to be assessed for their breeding value prior to their utilization in crop improvement programs. Therefore, some of the stabilized sunflower lines derived from five interspecific crosses were studied for a number of agronomic parameters and reaction to important diseases. The association between plant traits, their direct and indirect effects on seed and oil yield in the interspecific derived material are reported here.