Application of molecular markers in sunflower breeding

The results of the application of molecular markers in sunflower breeding obtained in the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in the last decade are reviewed. Our results on genetic distance (GD=7-75%) between sunflower inbred lines obtained with RAPD and SSR markers, indicate large variability and provide important information for the selection of parental lines for future crosses. Interspecific hybridization is often used in sunflower breeding. As only some populations of H. giganteus and H. maximiliani are resistant to sunflower diseases, the investigation of genetic variability in/between two species is of interest. The results obtained with SSR markers are presented. The successful hybridization between H. rigidus and H. annuus was confirmed with RAPD markers, and the variability between F1 and BC1F1 plants is discussed. Desirable alleles and haplotypes can be detected with molecular markers both in early phases of plant development and in early phases of the production of improved lines, which reduces or completely eliminates the large number of testing cycles for desirable phenotypes. CAPS markers for resistance to downy mildew, that can be used in marker assisted selection are presented. .