Active collection of sunflower wild helianthus species from NARDI Fundulea and their use for the introgression of resistance genes to the races of broomrape present in Romania in cultivated sunflower

Abstract

Annual wild and perennial sunflower species are used in sunflower breeding programs for resistance to various biotic and abiotic factors. For increase the variability inside sunflower must use this species who represent a valuable gene pool. The parasite broomrape (Orobanche cumana Wallr) is a danger to the sunflower culture in Romania, especially in the southeastern part of the country where the most virulent races are present. The identification of new sources of resistance to the attack of this parasite is a priority in the sunflower breeding program from NARDI Fundulea. We have in our collection at NARDI Fundulea, mine perennial wild species and six annual wild species of sunflower and we cross gene from this species in elite line for improving resistance at parasite broomrape and other diseases of sunflower. By crossing the wild sunflower species with different cultivated sunflower genotypes, we obtained interspecific hybrids that are tolerant to more than race G and H of broomrape from area Braila in year 2017. These interspecific hybrids are sources of resistance to the races of broomrape present in Romania and can be used in breeding programs to obtain commercial hybrids of sunflower.