Heterosis and Combining Ability Through Line x Tester Analysis for Yield, Oil and High Oleic Acid Characters in Sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.)

This research was conducted in the southern Marmara region of Turkey during 2017-2018 growing season in order to study genetical structure of a hybrid population obtained from three CMS (cytoplasmic male sterile) lines and four pollen tester (restorer) lines with mid or high oleic acid content and to determine general combining abilities (gca) of parental lines, specific combining abilities (sca) of hybrid combinations and their hybrid performances. The field experiments were designed in a randomized complete block with three replications. According to the results, male parents AGR2 and AGR4 considered as good general combiners for developing increased seed and oil yields in sunflower hybrids, although there were not good general combiners in female parents for the same traits. CMS3 x AGR4 test hybrid, which has high oleic acid content, has been determined to be a promising hybrid variety candidate with its high seed and oil yields, high oil content and oleic acid content. However, although the SCA effects of CMS1 x AGR2 and CMS3 x AGR2 test hybrids were not significant for seed and oil yields, it was concluded that they were promising hybrids with high yield, oil content and mid oleic acid content. It was determined that both additive and non-additive gene effects were effective for yield and some important yield components in the hybrid population studied. The values of heterosis and heterobeltiosis values ranged from 10.8 to 728.9 % and -20.1 to 608.8 % for seed yield, respectively. Similarly, positively high and significant heterosis and heterobeltiosis values were obtained in the oil yield.