Sunflower germplasms’ response to different water and salinity stress levels in greenhouse and field conditions under subsurface drip irrigation

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is moderately tolerant to salt and water stress, but its production can still be significantly and adversely affected by increases in these stressors as a result of the negative impacts of climate change on agricultural soil and crop productivity. The morphological and productivity (dry head weight, dry root weight, dry shoot weight, head diameter, whole seed weight, crude protein content, crude oil content, palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, eicosanoic acid, 11-eicosenoic acid, homo-gamma-linolenic w6 acid, lignoceric acid and plant height) responses of modern sunflower germplasms to different levels of salt and drought stress under greenhouse and field conditions were investigated and analysed. Six germplasms were evaluated under three salt concentrations (0, 150 and 250 mM), and two germplasms were evaluated for drought response under three irrigation levels. Significant differences in the response of sunflower germplasms to water and salinity were detected. The same germplasms exhibited significant differences in response to water and salinity between the treatments, which also varied significantly between the germplasms for the same treatment. The irrigation level significantly influenced the amount of oil but not the crude protein or fatty acid composition. The results and information of this research can aid in selecting and improving sunflower productivity under adverse (i.e. saline and drought) conditions.