Changes in seed oil content of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) as affected by harvesting date

Abstract

The paper studied the effect of harvesting date on seed oil accumulation in three sunflower genotypes. Harvesting began seven days after pollination and continued at three to four day intervals until ten harvests were carried out in all. Parallel to this, seed moisture content was determined as well. The trial's locations were India and Serbia. In both locations, the genotypes ranked the same for oil content, but all three produced considerably higher values in Serbia. The trial locations differed as to how the minimum and maximum air temperatures fluctuated in them. Regression analysis revealed that in all three genotypes in both locations the highest oil contents were produced with seed moisture at harvesting at around 30%.