Determination of superior hybrid combinations between cytoplasmic male sterile lines and restorer lines in sunflower

This study aimed to determine superior parental lines and the most suitable hybrid combinations taking into consideration the outstanding high-yielding and disease-resistant hybrid candidates obtained from the crossing combinations between CMS-HA (female) and RHA (male) lines selected from parental lines according to resistance to the new mildew race and other diseases under field conditions. In the study, 96 test hybrids obtained from crossing combinations in 2020 between 6 CMS-HA and 16 RHA (male) selected for resistance mildew and other diseases among different genetic structures parental lines developed by long-term breeding studies carried out by the Field Crops Department of Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University, Faculty of Agriculture were used as genetic material. These test hybrids were evaluated together with 8 control commercial hybrid varieties (P64LP130, P63LE113, LG 50.521 CLP, P64LP140, P64LE141, P64LL134, SY Chelsea CLP and SY Roseta) having the largest planting areas in Thrace Region for yield and yield components using Augmented Experimental Design under field conditions during 2022 growing season in Tekirdağ. In addition, in another trial to be carried out in the same field and same sowing date, some agronomic measurements and disease resistance observations were taken on CMS-HA, HA and RHA lines using for developing test hybrids. According to the research results, differences between genotypes were found to be statistically significant for plant height, head diameter, stem diameter, number of days from planting to first flowering, number of days from planting to 50% flowering. Seed yield per decare of hybrids and control cultivars ranged between 320,39 and 488,72 kg. The oil contents in the seed ranged from 32,97 and 49,53 %.