Determination of some agronomic characteristics and hybrid vigor of new improved synthetic varieties in sunflower (helianthus annuus l.)

Abstract

This study was conducted in order to improve new synthetic varieties having high yielding ability and to observe hybrid vigor in certain agronomic traits of these synthetics. Three Syn 1s, each composed of four inbred lines, (Syn 1A, Syn 1B, Syn 1C) and one Syn 1 derived from twelve lines (Syn 1D) were formed artificially by inter-crossing. Four experimental Syn 1s, their parental mixtures (Syn O's) and two check varieties (open pollinated Vniimk- 8931 and commercial hybrid Sunbred-281) were evaluated in replicated field trials under Bursa conditions without irrigation in 1995, 1996 and 1997. The rates of heterosis observed in plant height, head diameter, seed number/head, 1000-seed weight, seed weight/plant (head) and seed yield/ha were found as 11.2, 14.7, 35.8, 15.7, 59.4 and 65.7%, respectively. © 2002, by Walter de Gruyter Berlin/Boston. All rights reserved.