Morphological and molecular characterization of sunflower segregant populations coming from commercial hybrids

Abstract

Sunflower  (Helianthus  annuus  L.) cultivation in Venezuela is a suitable alternative to national  oil production,  which would contribute  to overcome a long-time  deficit in the country. Seed supply is a critical step in Venezuelan sunflower  production, as it is imported; therefore, it is necessary to begin a national  seed  production  program  including sunflower breeding programs.  The objective  of this research  was to characterize  morphological and molecularly three segregating populations coming from three commercial hybrids,  in order to determine  its suitability  as basic population in future selection  schemes.  Eighteen morphological variables  were recorded on 120  plants coming from three segregating populations, and five RAPD primers were applied  using DNA from 24 plants per population. Frequency distribution, mean tests, and principal components analysis revealed a wide morphological variability within each population. Plant height, number of ray flowers, and bract length were the most variable morphological attributes. Principal coordinates analysis based on 22 RAPD fragments also displayed a wide variability within populations. Genetic variability identified by morphological and molecular  characterization  made segregating populations, coming from commercial hybrids, good candidates to be used as basic population for breeding programs aiming to obtain national cultivars adapted to venezuelan production conditions.