Registration of oilseed sunflower germplasms RHA 478, RHA 479, RHA 480, and HA 481, providing diversity in resistance to necrotrophic pathogens of sunflower

Brady D. Koehler, Thomas J. Gulya, Brent S. Hulke

Abstract: Necrotropic pathogens such as Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary (causing Sclerotinia head and stalk rots) and Diaporthe spp. (causing Phomopsis stem cankers) have resulted in yield loss for the sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) industry. The combination of durable disease resistance and high yield potential is needed for increasing crop productivity and resilience. Our goal is to develop public inbred germplasms with high yield potential, tolerance to imidazolinone herbicides, and enhanced oilseed traits while adding genes for improved resistance to necrotrophic pathogens. RHA 478 (Reg. no. GP‐359, PI 688040), RHA 479 (Reg. no. GP‐360, PI 688041), and RHA 480 (Reg. no. GP‐361, PI 688042) are restorer inbred germplasm lines, and HA 481 (Reg. no. GP‐362, PI 688037) is a maintainer inbred germplasm developed with the pedigree breeding method and testcross hybrid trials for agronomic and disease evaluation. RHA 478, RHA 479, RHA 480, and HA 481 have high yield potential combined with disease resistance, and RHA 478 and HA 481 have high oleic acid in the seed oil. The lines were released by the USDA‐ARS in Fargo, ND, to provide germplasms with resistance to multiple diseases while also containing valuable agronomic traits.

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