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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. 3 (2026)

Identification of inbred lines derived from diverse cytoplasmic male sterile sources for female seed producibility in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.14626
Submitted
21 March 2026
Published
04-06-2026 — Updated on 10-08-2026
Versions

Abstract

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an important oilseed crop known for its high oil content and wide adaptability. The present study was conducted to evaluate the seed productivity of cytoplasmic male sterile (CMS) lines and to identify promising female parents for hybrid development. The experiment was carried out during rabi 2024 at the All-India Coordinated Research Project on Sunflower, Zonal Agricultural Research Station, UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru. The experimental material consisted of 87 CMS lines representing diverse cytoplasmic sources and two male testers, GKVK-756 and GKVK-763. All CMS lines were crossed with the testers in a Line × Tester mating design, resulting in 174 hybrids. Data were recorded for head diameter (cm), seed yield (kg/ha) and oil content (%). Considerable variability was observed among the crosses for all the studied traits. Seed yield varied from 339 to 1558 kg/ha with GKVK-756 and 225 to 1662 kg/ha with GKVK-763. The highest seed yield was recorded in BCB116 × GKVK-763 (1662 kg/ha), while the lowest was observed in CMS234A × GKVK-763 (225 kg/ha). Based on average seed yield, the female lines BCB116, BCB82, BCB13, BCGB18 and BCB75 showed superior performance. The results confirmed significant genetic variability among CMS lines, enabling effective selection. Overall, the study identified 32 high-performing CMS lines representing diverse cytoplasmic sources for further hybrid evaluation, for integration into sunflower breeding programs for developing high-yielding hybrids with improved oil content.

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