IMISUN SURES and CLPlus are three herbicide tolerance traits in sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.) which are determined by the expression of different alleles at the same locus Ahasl1. Introgression of these genes into high yielding sunflower germplasm should be complemented through the use of molecular markers in order to unambiguously identify the different alleles involved in tolerance. The aim of this work was to present a set of allele specific molecular markers for the different herbicide resistant traits of sunflower which can be used with various technological platforms and applied to different objectives in a breeding program. The Ahasl1 gene sequences from lines carrying different alleles for susceptibility or resistance showed single nucleotide polymorphisms and length variations for a simple sequence repeat. These differences were utilized to develop three types of PCR markers (SSRs CAPS and SNPs) which allow the precise identification of each allele at the Ahasl1 locus . Usefulness of these markers with respect to the application of phenotypic selection for herbicide tolerance and the strategic implementation of these techniques for developing inbred lines with herbicide resistance is discussed. RÉSUMÉ IMISUN SURES et CLPlus sont trois different caractères confèrent une résistance aux herbicides du tournesol ( Helianthus annuus L.) Les memes sont déterminées par l'expression des différents allèles du même locus Ahasl1 . L'introgression de ces gènes dans le matériel génétique de tournesol de haute performance devrait être complétée par l'utilisation de marqueurs moléculaires afin d'identifier correctement les différents allèles impliqués dans la tolérance. Le but de cet article est de présenter un ensemble de marqueurs moléculaires spécifiques d'allèles pour les différents traits de résistance aux herbicides du tournesol qui peuvent être utilisés avec différentes platesformes technologiques et d'être appliquées à différentes cibles dans le programme d'amélioration. Les séquences de gènes Ahasl1 de lignes portent des allèles de susceptibilité ou de résistance montré polymorphismes nucléotidiques simples et les variations de longueur pour une répétition de séquence simple. Ceux-ci ont été differences qui servent à établir trois types de marqueurs PCR (SSR CAPS et SNP) qui permettent l'identification de chaque allèle au locus Ahasl1 . L'utilité de ces marqueurs par rapport à l'application de la sélection phénotypique pour la tolérance aux herbicides et la mise en oeuvre stratégique de ces techniques pour le development des lignées résistantes à herbicides est discutée. RESUMEN IMISUN SURES y CLPlus son tres caracteres que confieren resistencia a herbicidas en el girasol ( Helianthus annuus L.) los cuales están determinados por la expresión de diferentes alelos del mismo locus Ahasl1. La introgresión de estos genes en el germoplasma de girasol de alto rendimiento debería estar complementada con el uso de marcadores moleculares con el objeto de identificar correctamente los diferentes alelos involucrados en la tolerancia. El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar un conjunto de marcadores moleculares específicos de alelo para los diferentes rasgos de resistencia a herbicidas en el girasol los que puedan utilizarse con diversas plataformas tecnológicas y ser aplicados a diferentes objetivos en un programa de mejoramiento genético. Las diferencias observadas para las secuencias Ahasl1 de las fuentes que llevan los alelos para resistencia y las líneas de tipo silvestre permitieron el desarrollo de tres tipos de marcadores diferentes basados en PCR (SSRs CAPs y SNPs) que permiten identificarlas. Se discute la utilidad de estos marcadores y la estrategia de su implementación para la obtención de líneas resistentes a herbicidas.

The parasitic weed Orobanche cumana Wallr. (broomrape) constraints sunflower production in eastern and southern Europe and in the Middle East. Resistance of sunflower hybrids to O. cumana race F which is widespread in the main sunflower growing countries including Spain is not complete. The infection of six populations of O. cumana (races B and F) in four sunflower genotypes in greenhouse (10 to 32ºC) and in growth chamber (20 to 25ºC) was studied. Also the effect of four sowing dates (SD) on the intensity of the attack of sunflower genotypes by O. cumana race F at three inoculum densities was investigated in an irrigated field in 2000 and 2001. Greenhouse was more favorable than growth chamber for O. cumana infection which was highest by race F populations. In the field experiment the reduction of the attack in the moderately resistant hybrid was significant at all SD and higher at late SD as compared to early sowings in both growing seasons. Late sowings (from the end of March until the beginning of April) favor an enhanced expression of the resistance of sunflower to O. cumana race F irrespective of seedbank and can be therefore recommended under irrigation and together with the use of moderately resistant sunflower hybrids as part of an efficient strategy on the control of this parasitic weed. RESUMEN La mala hierba parásita Orobanche cumana Wallr. (jopo) limita la producción de girasol en el este y sur de Europa y en el Medio Este. La resistencia de los híbridos de girasol a la raza F de O. cumana que está ampliamente distribuida en los países productores de girasol incluido España no es completa. Se estudió en invernadero (10 a 32ºC) y en cámara de crecimiento (20 a 25ºC) la infección de seis poblaciones de O. cumana (razas B y F) en cuatro genotipos de girasol. También se investigó el efecto de cuatro fechas de siembra (SD) sobre la intensidad del ataque de genotipos de girasol por la raza F de O. cumana a tres densidades de inóculo en campo y con riego en 2000 y 2001. El invernadero fue más favorable que la cámara de crecimiento para la infección por O. cumana la cual fue máxima en el caso de las poblaciones de raza F. En el experimento de campo se obtuvo una reducción significativa de la intensidad del ataque en el híbrido moderadamente resistente con todas las fechas de siembra y en ambos años la reducción fue mayor con siembras tardías en comparación a las siembras tempranas. Las siembras tardías (desde finales de marzo hasta principios de abril) favorecen un incremento en la expresión de la resistencia de girasol a la raza F de O. cumana independientemente de la cantidad de inóculo en el suelo y pueden por lo tanto recomendarse en condiciones de riego y junto con la siembra de híbridos de girasol moderadamente resistentes como parte de una estrategia efectiva para controlar esta mala hierba parásita.

Wild sunflowers are a source of desirable traits for improving cultivated sunflower Helianthus annuus (ANN). Two wild species of sunflower H. argophyllus (ARG) native to coastal sand dunes and H. niveus ssp. tephrodes (TEPH) native to the desert sand dunes have been hypothesized to be drought resistant. We tested the expectation that these wild species would have higher percent germination and more uniform germination under simulated drought stress conditions compared to cultivated ANN. In a growth chamber study we assessed germination of ANN ARG and TEPH (three representative accessions for each species) under four osmotic stress treatments imposed using polyethylene glycol to simulate varying levels of drought stress: 0 -0.4 -0.8 and -1.2 MPa. As expected all three species responded to increasing simulated drought stress with decreased percent germination assessed after seven days and delayed germination timing and uniformity assessed with logistic regressions. ARG responded marginally better than ANN with a greater percent germination at -1.2 MPa and greater uniformity at 0 and -0.4 MPa. Although the ARG advantage was small this suggests that ARG × ANN recombinant hybrids may deserve further investigation to see if desirable alleles can be identified for improving cultivated ANN germination and establishment under mild drought conditions. In contrast TEPH responded with substantially lower percent germination and less uniformity than ANN suggesting that it is unlikely that TEPH will be useful as a donor of desirable drought resistance alleles.

Four sunflower (Tarsan Sanbro TR-3080 and DKF-2525) and four safflower (Remzibey Dincer Balci and TRE-ASL09/14) genotypes were tested in a greenhouse sheltered from rain under well-watered (60% FC) and drought stress (30% FC) irrigation field capacity to determine the effect of drought stress on the leaf temperature and compare the reaction responses against drought stress in terms of leaf temperature between sunflower and safflower. The effect was particularly apparent under conditions of drought stress indicating that all sunflower and safflower genotype responses gradually increase their leaf temperature under drought stress. The results of the study showed that leaf temperature of sunflower and safflower was lower than ambient temperature in both conditions. But the leaf temperature of sunflower and safflower were closer to ambient temperature under drought stress than under well-watered conditions probably because of decreased transpiration cooling. It can also be exposed in this study that even though the leaf temperatures of safflower were generally higher than the leaf temperature of sunflower under drought stress in general the safflower leaf temperatures in ambient conditions were higher than those of sunflower. It was found that statistical differences of the leaf and stem temperature measured by an infrared thermometer provide practically a rapid means of assessing plant water status and observe the performance of plant response to the effect of drought stress. Especially the results revealed that the leaf temperatures of sunflower and safflower genotypes could be altered by not only drought stress but also the changing of ambient temperature and genetically property of them during the day. Therefore to measuring of leaf temperatures should be done very carefully and should be measured on more leaves.

The accelerated ageing test method (AA) agar plate method (A) and blotter method (B) have been used to detect the Rhizomucor pusillus and other mycobita on 24 samples of sunflower seed. Sterilised and unsterilised sunflower seeds have been incubated at 25ºC and 42ºC in the dark for 72 and 144 hours. The fungus was not detected in any sample at 25ºC not even after 144 h incubation of seeds. The fungal frequency ranged from 58.3 (B method) to 75.0% (A method) and from 4.2% (B method) to 16.7% (AA method) after 72 h incubation of unsterilised and sterilised samples at 42ºC respectively. The fungal incidence was 25.5% (AA method) 21.9% (A method) and 20.3% (B method) after 72 h incubation of unsterilised seed and 2% on sterilised seed in all three applied methods. By extended incubation of unsterilised and sterilised seeds up to 144 h at 42°C the frequency and incidence of the fungus did not significantly change. The results of the present research show that the AA test method widely applied in seed longevity testing can be used as a simple and efficient method for the detection of R. pusillus as well as other mycobiota on sunflower seed. Furthermore these are the first data on determining the presence of R. pusillus in Serbia.

Immature sunflower ( Helianthus annuus L.) zygotic embryos belonging to R and B sunflower lines were treated with ultra sound and gamma rays before planting in an embryo culture medium. In those circumstances new mutant lines with the altered architecture increased oil content 1000-seed weight number of seed per head as well as seed yield were developed. Some mutant lines showed very good combining abilities. Line 12004 R (developed trough Embryo culture method in immature zygotic embryos in combination with gamma irradiation at dose 8 Gy) paternal component of hybrid Goryanin line 12002 R (developed trough Embryo culture method in immature zygotic embryos in combination with gamma irradiation at dose 8 Gy) paternal component of the commercial hybrid Rada and line 12003 R (developed trough Embryo cluture method in immature zygotic embryos in combination with ultra sound at dose 25.5 W/cm 2 for 1 min) and paternal component of the commercial hybrid Yana were realized. Hybrid Goryanin considerably exceeded the average standard (the Bulgarian commercial hybrids Mercury Perfect and S-205) by seed yield with 15.2%. Hybrid Rada considerably exceeded the average standard of seed yield by 2.3-7.7% (in relation to Bulgarian commercial hybrid Albena and French commercial hybrid Diabolo). The vegetation period was 115 days. The hybrid Yana considerably exceeded the average standard of seed yield by 7.6%-14.4% (in relation to Bulgarian commercial hybrid Perfect and French commercial hybrid Diabolo). Its vegetation period is 110 days. The hybrids Rada and Yana possess the immunity to the parasite Orobanche cumana race G immunity to Plasmopara helianhi- races 300 330 700 and 731 immunity to Phomopsis and Macrophomina immunity to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (root form) and tolerance to Phoma.

A study was conducted in the Open Top Chambers (OTCs) to assess the influence of cool and warm season conditions on the response of sunflower (KBSH-1) to two elevated CO 2 levels (550 and 700 ppm) and compare them with the response to an ambient level (390 ppm). The effect of elevated CO 2 levels on biomass accumulation seed yield and yield components were quantified in two seasons. Apart from the main effects of CO 2 and different seasons a significant interaction effect between CO 2 levels and seasons was also observed. The CO 2 levels differed significantly in influencing biomass accumulation seed yield and number of seeds. Four Principal Components (PC) based on PC analysis explained about 85% of the variability in the response of traits influenced by CO 2 levels in winter and summer seasons. In order to predict total dry weight seed yield and harvest index obtained in winter and summer seasons regression models of these variables were also calibrated and used through PC scores of different components. The analysis indicated that significant predictions could be made at ambient level with 550 ppm compared to 700 ppm of CO 2 level. The plant traits with a significantly higher loading of more than ± 0.70 on PCs were identified and have been recommended for future research in genetic improvement of sunflower taking into account the change of climate due to elevated CO 2 and temperature levels.

In order to study the effect of irrigation (I 0 : optimum irrigation I V and I R : water stress during vegetative and reproductive stages respectively) and nitrogen (N 1 : 25% at planting 50% at eight-leaf stage and 25% at head appearance; N 2 : 50% at eight leaf stage and 50% at head appearance; N3: 50% planting and 50% head appearance) on yield and growth of sunflower a split-plot experiment was conducted in 2011 and 2012. Average cross years IV and IR caused a significant reduction of final dry leaf (20.4 and 34.5%) stem (40.5 and 45.7%) and total weight (25.9 and 28.0%) and also a significant reduction of the grain yield as much as 14.8% and 13.3% in comparison to I 0 . N 1 caused a significant 25 and 14% reduction of the leaf area index in comparison to N 3 and N 2 ; however the grain yield was not significantly different in N 3 and N 2 in both years. In I 0 N 3 caused a significant 34.8% increase of final dry weight of the leaf and an insignificant increase of dry weight of stem and the total weight as much as 30.9% and 16.3% respectively and also a significant 16.4% reduction of the grain yield in comparison to N 2 . On the whole N2 treatment in different irrigation regime caused a higher grain yield in comparison to N 1 and N 3 but N 3 treatment in I 0 and N 1 in I V and I R reduced the grain yield.

Journal Helia started his "mission" nearly 36 years ago very unpretentious as an information bulletin FAO Research Network on Sunflower with the founders intention to allow quick and easy exchange of knowledge gained from experimental field trials of improving and breeding so important oilseed crop species such as sunflower. Over time the number of scientists gathered around the project development and promotion of sunflowers growing under the FAO Research Network on Sunflower has risen slowly but surely the projects became more extensive complex and serious. The abundance of scientific research results realized in the framework of a research network imposed the direction of evolution journal Helia in scientific journal with internationally recognized quality peer-reviewed papers and relatively highly ranked in the scientific society. Since the beginning in Serbia the Journal was published by the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops as the publisher and editorial office headquarters under the auspices of F.A.O. and ISA until 2006th. In 2007 the editorial office was moved to the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts branch in Novi Sad which also assumed the role of the main publisher while the Institute remained to be a co-publisher. Since 1990 a total of 24 volumes with 47 regular and two extraordinary numbers have been published by the scientific journal HELIA. That’s a pretty impressive library with 6900 pages of printed material in 746 scientific papers in English. So far 2125 authors and co-authors of scientific papers from 43 countries from all continents have participated in publishing scientific papers in the journal and many authors have published a number of papers. All submitted manuscripts are subject to anonymous international review (so-called "single-blind peer review" where the authors of the papers do not know who the reviewers but the reviewers know who the authors of the papers) and published in the journal only after receiving a positive review by two independent reviewers and the final opinion of the editor. Considering the impact factor of the ISJ Helia in the last 10 years according to citation indicators of some papers published in the journal Helia it can be observed relatively high levels over the past 10 years with a trend of significant increase in 2011th and 2012th. Focusing on that parameter and the relatively high two-and five-year impact factors in 2011th and 2012th we can be very pleased with these trends which lead to our journal ranked near to relatively influential journals globally.

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