GENETIC ANALYSIS OF ACHENE YIELD IN SUNFLOWER (Helianthus annuus L.) THROUGH PYRAMIDING OF ASSOCIATED GENETIC FACTORS

Over the years, the cultivation of sunflower has emerged as a popular cash crop and the area under it has increased during the last decade in Pakistan because of its profitability than other competing crops. Besides, this crop needs little water, while its harvesting time is short and it can easily be cultivated between two major crops. The present study was conducted to assess the genetic potential of sunflower accessions for achene yield, achene weight and achene oil contents. The breeding material consisted of more than 102 sunflower accessions out of which 9 were selected. Morphological, quality and yield related traits recorded were; achene yield per plant, 1000 achene weight, oil contents, head diameter, leaf area, plant height, number of leaves per plant, days to 50% flowering, days taken to maturity, days to complete flowering, intermodal length, stem girth, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid and protein contents.