Studies on flowering behaviour of parental lines, seed setting, seed yield, quality and storage behaviour of hybrids in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

Abstract

A field and laboratory experiments were conducted to study the influence of newlineseasons on flowering behaviour, seed setting, seed yield and quality in parental lines of newlinedifferent sunflower hybrids; seed maturation, occurrence, natural dissipation and safe newlineremoval of seed dormancy in sunflower and efficacy of seed treatment chemicals and newlinepacking materials on storability of sunflower hybrids at the Department of Seed Science newlineand Technology, Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra, University of Agricultural Sciences, newlineBangalore, during 2010-12. The results revealed that, female parents took less number of days (63.83) when compared to male parents (67.69), irrespective of seasons and years. Higher number of days taken for 50 per cent flowering was recorded in CMS 335A newline(69.67, 80.67) and it was significantly lower in CMS 234A (55.33, 64.67) in both kharif newlineand rabi, 2010, respectively. The flowering behaviour of these parental lines was also newlinesimilar during 2011. Among A lines highest number of filled seeds per capitulum was recorded in CMS 335A (763.13 and 1083.87) as against the lowest recorded in CMS 234A (454.0 and 671.0) in kharif and rabi, 2010, respectively. The seed yield per plant was highest in CMS 17A (37.20 g) and CMS 335A (46.44 g), while it was lowest in CMS 234A (26.77g and 37.29 g) during kharif and rabi, 2010, respectively. In 2011 also similar trend has been observed. The processed seed yield was highest in CMS 17A (16.07 q/ha and 20.58 q/ha) and it was lowest in CMS 234A (9.83 q/ha) and CMS 851A (13.97 q/ha) during kharif in both 2010 and 2011, respectively. However, among the male parents RHA 6D-1 recorded highest processed seed yield (2.59 q/ha and 5.39 q/ha) than RHA 95C-1 (1.83 q/ha and 5.36 q/ha) in both 2010 and 2011, respectively. During rabi, CMS 335A recorded highest processed seed yield (23.66 q/ha and 21.67 q/ha) in both years, respectively.