Maternal Influence of Cytoplasmic Genic Male Sterile Lines on Seed Quality in Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus l.)

A line x tester analysis of sunflower was carried out with four cytoplasmic genie male steriles as lines and eight fertility restoring genetic accessions of Helianthus annum L. inbreds as testers. The parents and their thirty two hybrid crosses were subjected for seed quality analysis by adopting hundred seed weight, germination, root lenght, shoot length, dry matter production and vigour index as parameters in order to know the maternal and paternal influences on hybrid seed quality. The results indicated the predominant maternal influence on seed quality which is evident through the high per cent contribution of lines to the total variance of different seed quality parameters. Therfore, it can be expected that in cases of cytoplasmic inheritance, differences between crosses would result in maternal influences on seed weight and quality. The information of parental influence of seed quality will be useful to the plant breeders in their selection programme to evolve the hybrids with good seed quality.