Manifestation of heterosis in F1 confectionery sunflower hybrids

Purpose and objectives: to establish and study the manifestation of heterosis effects in new experimental confectionery sunflower hybrids by major valuable economic features.Materials and methods. Ten self-pollinated lines and 90 hybrid combinations created in compliance with the full diallel crossing design were studied. The following features were evaluated: seed yield, kernel output per hectare, 1000-seed weight, and huskiness. Analysis of variance and variational analysis were carried out by B.A. Dospekhov’s method, and the true heterosis value was calculated by D.S. Omarov’s method.Results and discussion/ The lines used in crossings differed in valuable economic features. Lines Kh72B and Kh2301V were distinguished as the most promising ones by yield capacity and 1000-seed weight for developing confectionery hybrids.Depending on the year conditions, 93.3-97.8% of the hybrid combinations showed the true heterosis inthe seed yield; 9.2-31.6% of the hybrid combinations − in the 1000 seed weight. The characteristics of parents capable of generating hybrid combinations with a strong manifestation of the true heterosis are described.The peculiarities of manifestation of the “1000-seed weight” and “huskiness” traits in some hybrid combinations require individual selection of parents to develop confectionery hybrids.Among the hybrid combinations derived from high oleic-line VKL-4, those that had a 1000 seed weight of over70 gwere identified.Conclusions. The patterns of the true heterosis manifestation have been established for the main characteristics used in the breeding of F1 confectionery sunflower hybrids. The self-pollinated parental lines and simple hybrid combinations that were the best in terms of several features have been singled out.