March 2017 Vol. 5 No.3

Search Pubmed for articles by:
 

Sauca F
Gabriel F

Other links:
PubMed Citation
Related articles in PubMed























 

Original Research Article

Screening of some sunflower genotypes (Helianthus annus) for drought stress using PEG 6000

Florentina Saucă^* and Anton Florin Gabriel

National Agricultural Research and Development Institute Fundulea, Biotechnology Laboratory, 915200 Fundulea, Călărasi County, Romania

*Corresponding Author’s E-mail: tinasauca@yahoo.com
Tel.:/fax: +40213110722

Accepted April 03, 2017

Abstract

In 2008 at NARDI Fundulea was initiated a breeding program to improve sunflower for drought resistance by genes introgression from the Helianthus argophyllus species into sunflower cultivation lines. Test of new genetic material was represented by hybrid combinations resulting from a selection process that took place over a period of 7 years including all stages of the breeding (hybridization: H. annuus x H. argophyllus, backcross, self pollination and selection). For this study, the testing of genotypes was performed under laboratory conditions to water stress induced by the presence of PEG 6000 in 5 concentrations and 3 replications/variant. Estimating concentrations of optical active substances (the percentage of sucrose equivalent) of the juice extracted by pressing plantlets (with a manual press) with a Refractometer Abbe (Karl Zeiss) was performed. In contrast with plantlets from backcross 7, at higher concentrations of PEG (15% and 20%) many plantlets from maternal lines did not survive until the end of the experience. The 10% PEG 6000
concentration permitted the best analysis of the tested material and it will be maintained in our further studies. For most studied lines were pointed out backcross descendents that exceed their maternal lines and combinations that are bellow the initial levels especially at low stress levels. A number of eight backcross 7 descendents were selected for the final stage of improving for drought resistance, in order to obtain new hybrids.

Key words: Backcross, Helianthus argophyllus, Interspecific hybridization, Self pollination, Water stress, PEG 6000