SUNFLOWER INBRED LINES DERIVED FROM INTERSPECIFIC HYBRIDS

A total of 230 hybrids have been introduced in a sunflower breeding program as initial material and submitted to selection for the following traits earliness, size of head, position of head related to the stem, stay green tolerance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, tolerance to Phomopsis sp., CMS-Rf ability. Some interspecific hybrids were promoted through advanced generations of selfing, such as H. annuus x STR, ARG x H. annuus, RIG x H. annuus, (ANN x DEB) x H. annuus, the others were tested for CMS and restoration ability by crossing and offspring evaluation. The new CMS source ANT-1 is the most promising source for a new CMS-pollen fertility restoration system in sunflower hybrid production. Interspecific hybrids are important as donors and crosses for introgressing new favorable alleles to parent inbred lines.