ORISUN-701, A NEW HIGH YIELDING AND DISEASE RESISTANT SUNFLOWER HYBRID RELEASED IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

Sunflower oil is a health-benefitting oil due to its low content of saturated fats, high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acid and good oxidative stability. This article discusses creating a novel and inventive high yielding, disease resistant having good quality oil sunflower hybrid developed by Oilseed Research Institute. This high yielding hybrid of sunflower has been developed through ABR line system by using cytoplasmic male sterility. The promising sunflower hybrid in the present study was an outcome of hybridization between ORI-42 x RL-86 which was first attempted in 2016 and evaluated in the Station Yield Trials, Micro Yield Trial as well as in National Uniform Yield Trials. This variety has wide adaptability and exhibited stable yield across multiple environments. Its maximum yield was observed 3870 kg per ha in MYT 2018 at Karor. It surpassed the check hybrids NKS-278 and AGSUN-5264 in National Uniform Sunflower Yield Trial during 2019 and Hysun-33 in National Uniform Sunflower Yield Trial during 2020. The new hybrid not only possesses excellent oil contents (40-42%), contains 41% oil contents, 49% oleic acid and 41% linoleic acid. but also showed complete tolerance against Charcoal Rot disease on the base of two years of studies. It has also resistance against all sucking insects and pests. Agronomic studies showed that this hybrid needs no special production technology package and fit in a better way with the existing agronomic practices. Due of its strong stem, the new Sunflower hybrid can tolerate lodging as well.