Construction of a crop—wild hybrid population for broadening genetic diversity in cultivated sunflower and first evaluation of its combining ability: the concept of neodomestication

Abstract

The genetic base of sunflower elite lines is very narrow, due to many years of selection and breeding. To broaden the genetic diversity of the cultivated sunflower, in 1995 73 wild sunflower populations were crossed with 3 cultivated lines (Testers), and 219 hybrid offspring's were evaluated in the field. GCA and SCA effects were computed suggesting for all traits a genetic potential for improvement through selection. Study of the hybrids revealed that the wild accessions bear different genetic abilities to combine with the testers for traits of morphological architecture, phenology and yield (seed weight and seed oil). The variance due to GCA and SCA showed that gene action was additive for days to flowering, branching and plant height. Genotypes derived from the same geographic origin may have either good or poor general combing ability. The correlation between GCA and per se genotype performance was positive for all traits except for seed oil content. This was the first attempt to evaluate wild-cultivated hybrids in sunflower on a large scale and will be the starting point for the management of hybrid Helianthus annuus populations for breeding. GCA and SCA estimations will facilitate the definition of strategies to manage and exploit the natural diversity for this crop.

Sunflower Genetics from Ancestors to Modern Hybrids—A Review

“…Likewise, an interesting approach can be increasing the number of capitate glandular trichomes, which are deficient in cultivated sunflower compared to wild, as they are considered to be effective defense components that act against some herbivorous insects such as sunflower moth and larvae [ 63 ]. Wild Helianthus species represent a diversified source of agronomically important traits that can contribute to future modeling of the sunflower plant in order to improve plant architecture and maximize productivity [ 64 , 65 ].…”

Combining Ability Analysis for Various Morphological Traits in Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus L.)

“…The cross A-6 × A-9 (3.58) showed positive and significant SCA effects for the NLP, which is desirable (Rabia et al, 2015). The cross A-5 × A-9 (2.53) showed significantly positive SCA effects, which is desirable for HD (Nooryazdan et al, 2011). The maximum negative and significant SCA effects for PH were shown by A-6 × A-8 (-1.32), which is desirable as short-statured plants are required to overcome lodging (Rauf et al, 2012).…”

From the Olive Flower to the Drupe: Flower Types, Pollination, Self and Inter-Compatibility and Fruit Set

“…For seed plants such as sunflower self-sterility is measured by surrounding one head with a pollenproof paper bag and leaving another head free pollinated. The ratio of both fruit sets enables to estimate S-I versus S-F [54]. For the olive the paper bag method runs efficiently, but the number of flowers under the bag should be consistent with significant statistics on fruit set and the paper pollen proof should be of good quality [55,56].…”