Agro-Morphological Traits of Inbred Sunflower Lines and their Genetic Assessment

Summary As plant breeding is a very complex and sophisticated process, it is of paramount importance to understand the nature and magnitude of interdependence between specific plant features. Using PCA and correlation analysis, this study examined the variability in features of two types of inbred sunflower lines and determined its connection with their seed yields. The experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design with four replications in Rimski Šančevi (the experimental field of the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad) in 2018 and 2019. It examined a total of nine inbred sunflower lines created at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad. The results obtained suggest a high degree of variability in the examined traits of inbred sunflower lines considered, whereas the significance indicated by the F test was confirmed by the Duncan test performed. A high degree of variability was also found between the different types of inbred lines considered. A positive correlation was found between all four traits observed in the inbred sunflower lines considered, with different levels of significance. A statistically significant positive increase in the head diameter was followed by an increase in the weight of 1000 seeds, which generated a higher seed yield per unit area. According to the arrangement of different types of inbred lines considered on the PCA biplot, it can be concluded that the linoleic inbred lines G7L and G8L had the highest average values of the 1000-seed weight, head diameter and seed yield throughout the course of both experimental years. The useful data obtained by PCA analysis can facilitate successful selection programs aimed at developing sunflower genotypes that possess high stability and seed yields.