Morphological and molecular characterization of interspecific cross between cultivated Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. with wild annual diploid H. argophyllus.)

Sunflower breeding has reached a plateau for a number of important agronomic traits. The major limiting factor for further improvements of the genetic potentials for seed yield and oil quality is the susceptibility of the sunflower to a large number of pathogens. The interspecific hybrids produced from crosses between cultivated sunflowers (H. annuus L.)(2n = 34) and wild annual diploid H. argophyllus Acc No. 1317 (2n=34) was studied. The rate of cross-compatibility was good. The crossed plants had an annual growth cycle, branched stem and different anthocyanin coloration, but also showed morphological similarity with cultivated sunflower for several quantitative characters. The hybridity of cross was confirmed through SSR marker.