The study, conducted at the research area of Raja Wala farm, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, assessed the sunflowers’ (Helianthus annuus L.) early maturity and yield improvement. Experimental material came from the United States Department of Agriculture and the National Agricultural Research Centre. Cytoplasmic male sterile lines and restorers, grown in the field, had their data gathered regarding early maturity. Then, the crossing of selected lines employed the line × tester design. The following season, the resulting crosses and their parents’ evaluation proceeded in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) using three replications. The crosses declared as best hybrids in terms of early maturity and yield were 7-A × 86-R, 11-A × 83-R, 23-A × 81-R, 25-A × 80- R, 25-A × 94-R, and 27-A × 80-R. These best hybrids further underwent oil content and quality analysis. The crosses 23-A × 81-R and 25-A × 80-R revealed good performance for oil contents (palmitic, stearic, linoleic, and oleic acids) and quality traits like early maturing with better yield. Using RAPD markers, the authenticity assessment of the best hybrids through the presence and absence of bands compared with parents ensued. These hybrids will be helpful in future breeding programs for the development of early maturing varieties with improved achene yield and quality, which is rare in Pakistan. This material will also help develop the required hybrids.
sunflower, male sterility, line × tester, oil quality parameters, primers
Genotypes 80-R, 81-R, 83-R, 86-R, 94-R, and 96-R proved early maturing. The hybrids 23-A × 81-R and 25-A × 80-R emerged as the best crosses for early maturity, yield, and oil qualityrelated traits.