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ARS Home » Plains Area » Fargo, North Dakota » Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center » Sunflower and Plant Biology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #121163
Title: RAPID CONVERSION OF ELITE SUNFLOWER LINES FROM LOW TO HIGH OLEIC FATTY ACID

Author
item Miller, Jerry
item Rehder, Dale
item Vick, Brady

Submitted to: Proceedings Sunflower Research Workshop
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The conversion of acreage from traditional (low-oleic) hybrids to NuSun (mid-oleic) hybrids has placed pressure on industry breeders to produce high-oleic lines very rapidly. Early generation selection is a method recommended for rapid advancement of breeding populations; however, this method requires the identification accurate identification of the fatty acid content of genotypes on a single-seed or embryo basis. The objective of this study was to determine how early the final fatty acid content of a maturing embryo could be predicted. If the fatty acid content of an embryo could be determined before 20 days after flowering, an embryo culture technique could be utilized. At 20 days after flowering the oleic acid content of high-oleic single seed genotypes averaged 80.6%, compared to 84.5% for mature seeds. The moisture content of these seeds averaged 66.1%. For mid-oleic seeds, the oleic content of 20 day old seeds averaged 61.8 % compared with the mature seed oleic content of 62.5%. Samples of low-oleic seed harvested 20 days after flowering averaged 15.9% in oleic content, compared with the mature oleic content of 13.6%. These results indicate that an early generation selection procedure could be implemented by breeders to identify seeds or plants with a high oleic acid content and an embryo culture technique could be utilized.

Technical Abstract: Early generation selection is a method recommended for rapid advancement of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) breeding populations; however, this method requires the identification accurate identification of the fatty acid content of genotypes on a single-seed or embryo basis. The objective of this study was to determine how early the final fatty acid content of a maturing embryo could be predicted. If the fatty acid content of an embryo could be determined before 20 days after flowering, an embryo culture technique could be utilized to rapidly convert traditional low-oleic lines to high-oleic acid lines. At 20 days after flowering the oleic acid content of high-oleic single seed genotypes averaged 80.6%, compared to 84.5% for mature seeds. The moisture content of these seeds averaged 66.1%. For mid-oleic seeds, the oleic content of 20 day old seeds averaged 61.8 % compared with the mature seed oleic content of 62.5%. Samples of low-oleic seed harvested 20 days after flowering averaged 15.9% in oleic content, compared with the mature oleic content of 13.6%. These results indicate that an early generation selection procedure could be implemented by breeders to identify seeds or plants with a high oleic acid content and an embryo culture technique could be utilized.