Resistance of some sunflower genotypes to broomrape (Orobanche cumana Warll.) and its influence on seed yield and quality

Abstract

Broomrape (Orobanche cumana Wallr.) is a flowering parasitic plant which is one of the major sunflower parasites. Different sunflower hybrids have different reaction to the broomrape. The aim of this paper is to evaluate influence of broomrape attack to seed yield and quality in different experimental sunflower genotypes. In this trial we evaluated 13 experimental hybrids to broomrape which belong to 3 different groups: resistant to broomrape, high-oleic and resistant to imidazolinone herbicides and 4 standard hybrids. Out of 13 inoculated sunflower hybrids broomrape was noticed on 8. Obtained seed yield and oil content were higher in non-infected plants in comparison to the plants infected with broomrape in five hybrids. The negative correlations between number of broomrape plants per sunflower plant and seed yield (-0.419717) and oil yield (-0.409165) were obtained.