Dobrudzha Agricultural Institute - General Toshevo, 9521, Bulgaria
Резюме
Dobrudzha Agricultural Institute – General Toshevo is the only breeding center of
sunflower in Bulgaria. Since its establishement in 1951, over 50 varieties and hybrids
of this crop have been developed here. More than 15 joint hybrids have been registered
abroad, the result from cooperation with our European partners.
The institute has a rich and variable collection of initial breeding materials. The methods
we use in our breeding work are intraspecific, interlinear, interspecific and intergeneric
hybridization, experimental mutagenesis, embryoculture, somaclonal variation, in vitro
screening and selection. The methods for evaluation of resistance to economically important
diseases and the parasite Orobanche have been adapted to the working conditions of the
Institute. Morphological, biological, technological, biochemical and phytopathological
characterizations of the released and registered hybrids and their parental lines have been
made.
Many new materials have been developed during the last decade, which possess valuable
breeding properties. Over 6000 inbred lines are involved in the breeding work. Annually,
1400 new hybrid combinations are being tested in Bulgaria and abroad. Hybrids have been
developed, which possess very good productivity and adaptability potential, and which
have been registered in Bulgaria, EU and other foreign contries. Some foreign companies
included our new hybrids (Velko, Veleka, Yana, Divna, Valin, etc.) in their catalogs and are
successfully organizing their seed production and marketing in the respective countries.
A new direction of our breeding is the devlopment of sunflower hybrids resistant to
herbicides. Several hybrids - Enigma, Sunny imi, Desi, Viyani, Danaya, etc., are now within
the system of official testing in Bulgaria and abroad. Their registration is forthcoming. The aim of this investigation was to present the current status and achievements of the
breeding work on sunflower at DAI-General Toshevo during the last decade.
