LINE X TESTER ANALYSIS FOR YIELD COMPONENTS IN SUNFLOWER AND THEIR CORRELATIONS WITH SEED YIELD (Helianthus annuus L.)

Hladni N., D. Skoric, M. Kraljevic-Balalic, S. Jocic, V. Miklic, and N. Dusanic (2011): Line x tester analysis for yield components in sunflower and their correlations with seed yield (Helianthus annuus L.).- Genetika, Vol 43, No. 2, 297 - 306. The creation of new sunflower hybrids with high genetic potential for seed yield on the basis of interspecies hybridization requires a possession of the information about the mode of inheritance and the combining abilities of the created inbreed lines for the total seed number per head and the mass of 100 seeds. Apart from this the research of interdependence between yield components and seed yield allows the defining of traits which have the biggest influence on the yield formation. Significant differences were found among the A lines, Rf testers and their F-1 hybrids in total seed number per head and the mass of 100 seeds. Analysis of variance of the combining abilities revealed highly significant differences for GCA and SCA. Highly significant positive value GCA was demonstrated by A-line NS-GS-5 for both traits. Hybrid NS-GS-5xRHA-R-PL-2/1 has the highest significant value SCA for both traits. The main role in inheritance of the total seed number per head and the mass of 100 seeds is played by non additive component of the genetic variance which is confirmed by the GCA/SCA relation in F-1 generation that is less than one (0.11, 0.24). Rf-testers had the highest average contribution in the expression of the total seed number per head (55.8%) while for the mass of 100 seeds a more significant contribution was given by A-line (70.6%). A strong positive interdependence has been determined between seed yield and total seed number per head (0.376*) and a very strong positive interdependence was determined between seed yield and the mass of 100 seeds (0.823**). These research can be significant for the creation of new high-yielding sunflower hybrids on the basis of interspecies hybridization.