In this essay we will discuss about:- 1. Distribution of Sunflower 2. Cultivated Species of Sunflower 3. Cultivated Species 4. Breeding Objectives 5. Breeding Methods and Achievements.
Essay on Sunflower
Essay # 1. Distribution of Sunflower:
Sunflower is an important oilseed crop of global importance. It belongs to the family Compositae. Important sunflower producing countries are USSR, USA, Argentina, China, Australia, France, Spain, Romania, Hungary, Yugoslavia, South Africa and Canada.
In India, it was introduced in 1969 from USSR. Now, it is cultivated in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. It is spreading in Punjab and Haryana states also. It contains 46 to 52% oil. Archaeological evidences suggest that Central America is the centre of origin of sunflower. Nothing is known about the progenitor of sunflower so far.
Essay # 2. Cultivated Species of Sunflower:
There are two species of sunflower, i.e. Helianthus annuus (2n = 34) and H. tuberosus which are cultivated as food crops. H. annuus is grown as oilseed crop. There are 65 other species, out of which 8 are grown as ornamentals and rest are wild.
The cultivated species is of two types, viz. oilseed type and non-oilseed type. The non-oilseed types are rich in protein and are grown in USA and some other countries. Non-oilseed types are used whole, dehulled, roasted or raw alone or added to other food.
Essay # 3. Reproduction and Pollination of Sunflower:
Sunflower is seed propagated and cross pollinated species. Natural cross pollination occurs mainly by insects. Thus sunflower is a highly heterozygous and heterogeneous crop. Proper isolation distance is essential for the production of foundation and certified seeds.
Essay # 4. Breeding Objectives in Sunflower:
Main breeding objectives are higher yield, better quality, wider adaptation, and resistance to biotic (diseases and insects) and abiotic (drought and temperature) stresses, yield components include head size, seeds per head and seed size.
Leaf spots, root rot, stem rot, head rot; rust and powdery mildew are the major diseases. Heliothis, grasshoppers, jassids and leaf eating cater pillars are major insects. Quality refers to oil and protein content and their composition.
Essay # 5. Breeding Methods and Achievements of Sunflower:
Main breeding methods are mass selections, recurrent selection, heterosis breeding, synthetic breeding etc. Haploids and transgenic plants have been developed through biotechnology.
New varieties are developed by State Agricultural Universities and Private seed companies after multi-locational testing in coordinated trials. All India Coordinated Sunflower Improvement Project is located at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore.
Important sunflower varieties and hybrids released in India are listed below:
1. Varieties:
EC 68414, EC 68415, Modern, Co 1, Co 2, Surya, SS 56, MSFS 1, MSFS 8 and MSFS 17.
2. Hybrids:
BSH 1, APSH 11, LDMRSH 1, LDMRSH 3. All these Hybrids are CMS based.
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