Meiosis and pollen grain viability in Helianthus mollis, Helianthus salicifolius, Helianthus maximiliani and their F1 hybrids with cultivated sunflower

Abstract

Three diploid perennial sunflower species are useful for variety improvement: Helianthus mollis, because of sessile leaves, H. salicifolius, because of a high oil concentration, and H. maximiliani, a potential source of resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The crossability of these species to cultivated sunflower was examined.