ABSTRACT

Sunflower research was started firstly in 1950s as basic research such as adaptation, yield trials and introduction. The main research and breeding program was initiated in Trakya Agricultural Research Institute - Edirne (TARI) in 1970. However, all sunflower breeding and agronomic research works conducted in Turkey were merged as National Sunflower Research Program in 1978. TARI was selected as the national coordinator institute for sunflower research in Turkey. All sunflower genetic materials were collected in TARI and sunflower breeding works were accelerated as national basis year by year. When the use of hybrids in sunflower plantings increasingly year by year, Turkey planted area reached to 700-750.000 ha and sunflower production reached to 1.250.000 Metric Ton in the end of 1980s. The hybrids are used mainly now in the sunflower production in Turkey. From 1978 to 2003, over 150.000 inbreeding and selfing, almost 100.000 crosses and about 30.000 test hybrids were carried out in National Sunflower Research Program in Edirne. Although many hybrids and inbred lines were obtained in the research program, the 5 registered hybrids are selling in the market, 39 female and 52 restorer lines developed are using efficiently in the breeding program in the last years.

KEY WORDS: Sunflower, Hybrid Breeding, Inbred Lines, Cultivar Development.

INTRODUCTION

Sunflower hybrid breeding was started economically in discovering CMS by Leclercq in 1960 and restorer genes by Kinman in 1970 (Miller and Fick, 1997). First sunflower hybrids were produced in US in 1972 and reached 80% of production in five years (Fick and Miller, 1997). Single-cross hybrids quickly became dominantly in sunflower cultivars in the world. Hybrids were preferred by farmers due to high yield and quality potential, homogeneity, same time maturing and easy possibility of cultural applications both in Turkey and the world. Hybrid use was reached over 90% in Turkey sunflower production in last 15 years (Kaya, 2002).

Sunflower research were started firstly by Yesilkoy Agricultural Research Institute - Istanbul in 1950s and then by Trakya Agricultural Research Institute - Edirne (TARI) as basic research such as adaptation, yield trials and introduction in 1970s. Local varieties were planted until 1960s in Turkey (Kaya, 2004). Due to broomrape (Orobanche spp.) parasite, resistant V-1646 and V-8931 open pollinated Russian varieties were introduced from Russia in 1965 (Kaya et al. 2004). These cultivars and Peredovik were the main cultivars until the beginning of 1980s. The major research and breeding program in sunflower was initiated in TARI in 1970. However, sunflower breeding and agronomic research works were accelerated quickly in 1978 after merging as National Sunflower Research Program in Turkey. After TARI was selected as the Turkish national coordinator institute for sunflower research, sunflower genetic materials were collected mostly via introduction and from different parts of Turkey in TARI. Sunflower breeding works were speeded up as national basis year by year.

Some private companies were established in the sector 1983 firstly and sunflower research breeding works were mostly as introduction and adaptation of these hybrids in Turkish conditions in addition to government research. Romsun-253, Romsun, H-1, IS-3310, etc… were the sunflower hybrids planted programs in first half of 1980s. The first Turkish sunflower hybrid TURKAY-1 was developed by TARI in 1984. Additionally, other hybrids Edirne-87 and TRAKYA-83 also were developed by TARI and presented to farmers at the end of 1980s. When the use of hybrids in sunflower plantings increasingly year by year, Turkey planted areas were to 700-750.000 ha and sunflower production reached to 1.250.000 Metric Ton in the end of 1980s.

Development of hybrids is the primary objective of most sunflower breeding programs in the world. National sunflower hybrid breeding project is continuous project which started in 1970. Sunflower breeding nursery constituted in TARI which is coordinator of the project field and yield and broomrape test trials was conducted in this same area too. However, regional trials were conducted in cooperating with other research institutes in other part of Turkey. Sunflower is a cross-pollinated crop and the breeding methods applied in this project were pedigree, phenotypic and genotypic recurrent selection, crossing, self-pollination, backcross, CMS and inbreeding.

This project designed not only public breeding program oriented more basic research, investigating genetic inheritance of new traits and searching new sources of genes for important traits, but also a private breeding program emphasized on developing new lines and hybrids having important characteristics for farmers such as high seed yield, oil percentage, etc…

The objectives of this project;

• Developing new inbred A and Restorer lines having high general and specific combining ability and high yield capacity and oil ratio, and other desired agronomic characteristics, resistant to orobanche parasite, pests and diseases,
• Developing new hybrids having desired characteristics that mentioned above using these inbred lines.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

The breeding nursery and yield trials were carried out institute field. Additionally, regional trials were conducted in other locations of Turkey cooperated with other institutes and private seed companies. The genetic material originated from introduction and open pollinated populations were used in the institute breeding nursery. The superior genotypes from these sources selected using castration and crossing breeding methods were consisted as initial breeding material in the program. The sunflower research in the institute emphasizes the development of high-yielding hybrids that meet growing demands of producers and end-users.

Breeding nursery was consisted from 5 parts in National Sunflower program.

• Developing A (Female) and B (maintainer) Lines
• Developing Restorer (Male) (R) Lines
• F₁ Hybrid Production and Multiplication Nursery
• Test Hybrids and Broomrape Resistance Tests
• Yield Trials (Institute Field and Regional)

Developing A (Female) and B (maintainer) Lines

The initial breeding material chosen based on favorable characteristics were selfed isolating with using covered cotton bags to prevent natural cross pollination mostly from insect pollinator. Selected material were considered characteristics including seed characteristics, field agronomics, disease reaction, maturity, oil content and quality using pedigree method in the sunflower breeding nursery at the institute. After inbreeding in 3-4 years, these plants were planted together side row by side with CMS (Cytoplasmic Male Sterile) plants to develop both CMS A (Female) and B (maintainer) inbred lines using backcross in 6-7 years.

Developing Restorer (Male) (R) Lines

The same breeding procedures were applied except CMS backcrossing. However, initial breeding materials were mostly from commercial hybrids, crossed restorers for improved characters and wild species plants having restorer genes. Inbreeding continues in 10-11 generations to improve uniformity and in isolating strains that varied widely in vigor, height, yield and self-fertility. These R lines were mostly branched types to widen pollination time in hybrid production. The recurrent selection and inbreeding were based phenotype in first 4-5 generations then, selection continues based tests of general combining ability of lines using testers.

F₁ Hybrid Production and Multiplication Nursery

Most of sunflower breeding programs involve single cross hybrids due to higher yield potential and greater uniformity. Mostly finished inbred lines were multiplied and more hybrid seeds for the next year yield trials were produced in this nursery. These inbred lines were planted side row by side together to give pollination easily for crossing. Additionally, to produce more hybrids for regional trials or to multiply inbred lines, 35 isolation cages were constituted (each one 6 m x 50 m = 300 m²) in the institute field.

Test Hybrids and Broomrape Resistance Tests

The hybrids having less seeds in the upper generations and test hybrids to test having restorer genes or not in the 4^th generation based on checking sterility of hybrids were found in the observation nursery. Broomrape is very big problem in sunflower production in Turkey. The hybrids and inbred lines developed in National Sunflower Project were tested against broomrape both in artificial and natural infested conditions.

Yield Trials (At Institute Field and Regional)

Hybrids are evaluated for seed and oil yield, oil percentage and other characteristics such as flowering and maturity time, height and head diameter, etc in the yield trials. Some of the yield trials were conducting to test general and specific combining ability and others were to determine the sunflower hybrids having the best yield and quality performance at the institute. The hybrids revealing higher performance in the evaluation trials in institute field were tested in regional trials conducted in different locations.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The sunflower hybrid producing by crossing female CMS and restorer inbred lines utilizing heterosis breeding were very long duration extending about 12-13 generations and very hard processes using almost all breeding methods during this period. Therefore, most of breeders have winter nursery in southern hemisphere or in green house breeding cycle in the winter. National program was mostly focused on oil types, but also there was a small breeding program developing confectionery types too.

To develop new inbred A and Restorer lines having high general and specific combining ability and high yield capacity and oil ratio, and other desired agronomic characteristics, resistant to orobanche parasite, pests and diseases, about total 150.000 selfing, 100.000 crosses and 30.000 test hybrids (about 8.000 of them selected and put in observations) were made in the breeding nursery from the beginning of the project as national basis (1978) to 2003. From these tremendous breeding efforts, 6.500 hybrids were selected and tested in the 417 trials in the institute and other locations in both Trakya Region and in other institute fields in different part of Turkey at this time.

These crosses and test hybrids were tested and evaluated in the yield trials at the institute based on general and specific combining ability of inbred lines. After evaluation of lines according to desired characteristics, 36 A (CMS) female and B (Maintainer) lines and 48 Restorer (R) lines was developed in between 1993 to 2003 in the project (Table 2). These inbred lines were used in the project to develop new hybrids having yield potential, quality and resistance to broomrape and other diseases. These hybrids developed in National Project and registered from the beginning to today by TARI were given in Table 1.

TAR-SAN-1018 and ARDA-2098 (three-way cross) hybrids were registered commercial cultivars in 1999. Also, because of having superior characteristics and high performance over standard cultivars in the registration trials, TR-3080, TR-6149SA, AYDIN and MERIC F1 were registered as commercial hybrids in the recent years. From the hybrids registered, TARSAN-1018 and AYDIN by TIGEM, TR-3080 and MERIC F1 were producing and selling to farmers by GENÇ Seed Co. However, there were very good collaboration between the institute and private seed companies conducting sunflower breeding program both in Turkey and other part of the world by exchanging inbred lines, producing joint hybrids and broomrape tests.

Table 1: Registered Sunflower hybrid Cultivars at the Institute (1992-2004)

Table 2: Developed Sunflower Inbred Lines at the Institute (1993-2003)

CONCLUSION

During from the beginning from to 2003 of project; about 20.000 self-pollinations, 18.000 crossings and 1.724 test hybrids was made to develop new inbred A and Restorer lines having high general and specific combining ability and high yield capacity and oil ratio, and other desired agronomic characteristics, resistant to orobanche parasite, pests and diseases. After evaluating these crosses and test hybrids and testing general and specific combining ability of inbred lines, 36 A (CMS) and B(Maintainer) lines and 48 Restorer(R) lines was developed in the last 10 years (1993-2003).

TAR-SAN-1018 and ARDA-2098 (three-way cross) hybrids were registered commercial cultivars in 1999. Also, because of having superior characteristics and high performance over standard cultivars in the registration trials, TR-3080, TR-6149SA, AYDIN and MERIC F1 were registered as commercial hybrids in the recent years. From the hybrids registered, TARSAN-1018 and AYDIN by TIGEM, TR-3080 and MERIC F1 were producing and selling to farmers by GENÇ Seed Co. Also more income was obtained from the sale of inbred lines, royalty rights, trials and orobanche tests using the project possibilities in this period.

In the future it is believed that sunflower will be grown in the more arid areas both in the world and in Turkey, this trend is predicted to accelerate particularly in the next ten years. The next trend will be to establish a higher value market for the product and to make sunflower oil more competitive with other oil crops on the world market (Skoric, 1992). Recent developments in the fatty acids in sunflower oils have occurred, oleic acid values (Mid or high oil content, NUSUN) have been increased to make the oil more stable.

LITERATURE

Fick. G.N. and J. F. Miller. 1997. Sunflower Breeding. In A.A. Schneiter (ed.)

Sunflower Technology and Production. Agron. Monogr. 35. ASA, CSSA and SSSA, Madison, WI, USA. 395-439

Kaya, Y. 2002. The Problems of Hybrid Sunflower Seed Production in Turkey. The

Proceeding of 1^st Turkish Seed Congress-IZMIR September 11-13. 259-266.

Kaya, Y., G. Evci and M. Demirci. 2004. Broomrape (Orobanche cernua Loeffl.) and

Herbicide Resistance Breeding in Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in Turkey. Helia. 27: 40. 199-210.

Kaya, Y. 2004. Sunflower Breeding, Seed Industry and Future Directions in Turkey.

Proceeding of 16^th International Sunflower Conference. August 29-September 2. Fargo, USA. 465-472.

Miller, J. F. and G.N. Fick. 1997. Sunflower genetics. In A.A. Schneiter (ed.) Sunflower

Technology and Production. Agron. Monogr. 35. ASA, CSSA and SSSA, Madison, WI, USA. 441-495.

Skoric, D. 1992. Achivements and future directions of sunflower breeding. Field Crops

Research.30: 231-270.