Project Number: 5442-21220-024-07
Project Type: Trust

Start Date: Apr 01, 2009
End Date: Mar 31, 2014

Objective:
To expand testing of experimental sunflower germplasm beyond the Red River Valley into areas where sunflower is currently produced on a large scale. This project will concentrate on efforts such as insect resistance and drought resistance, which are currently difficult to study in our current field testing capacity.

Approach:
We plan to expand testing of germplasm for yield and other characteristics, such as insect resistance, disease resistance, and drought tolerance, by initiating work at additional field sites including but not limited to Carrington, ND, Prosper, ND, and Highmore, SD. The germplasms tested will contain genes for high yield, high oil, and special traits such as high oleic acid constitution, Sclerotinia resistance, downy mildew resistance, rust resistance, and resistance to various insect pests including the sunflower moth, the banded sunflower moth, the red sunflower seed weevil, the stem weevil, and the Dectes stem borer. Many of these special traits cannot be tested at our current work sites because the sites lack consistent infestation, a problem that would be overcome by additional testing sites. These sites are also more typical of the sunflower production region. The funding discussed in this agreement will support this research by providing assistance to defray increased travel costs, additional supply costs, and costs associated with a full-time Term technician and part-time student to help manage the additional sites and workload.