Genetic mapping of a broomrape resistance gene in sunflower line LIV-17

Abstract

Broomrape (Orobanche cumana Walr) is becoming the most important limiting factor in sunflower production in Europe. The parasite considerably reduces sunflower yield and reduces seed oil content, leading to great economic losses. While the application of herbicides is limited for health and economic reasons, breeding for resistance is regarded as the most effective and environmentally friendly solution. Still, broomrape race composition constantly changes and new, more aggressive physiological races appear. Therefore, finding new sources of resistance and developing molecular markers for detecting Orobanche resistance genes are of immense importance in sunflower breeding. Line LIV-17 is a sunflower inbred line that was found to be resistant to new races of broomrape in heavily infested locations in Spain, Romania and Turkey during trials conducted from 2007 to 2010.