SEED GENOTYPE AND OIL PERCENTAGE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEEDS OF A SUNFLOWER

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Abstract
Specific gravities and oil percentages of dehulled sunflower seeds from a single inflorescence varied from 1. 060 to 1. 109 and 56. 1 and 51. 9, respectively. Seeds of the various specific gravities were found to be randomly distributed within the inflorescence. These seeds were divided into 4 classes on the basis of their specific gravities and were grown to maturity in a replicated field trial. The seed produced by the 4 specific gravity classes showed no significant difference in oil percentage. This indicates that the differences in oil percentage between the seeds within the sunflower inflorescence were due to some environmental effect. Reciprocal pollinations between sunflower plants that differed in oil percentage did not affect the oil percentage of the seed produced on either plant. The oil percentage of sunflower seeds is determined by the genotype of the maternal parent on which the seed is developing.