Seed Yield Determinants of Sunflower under Drought Stressed and Well Watered Conditions

Associations among morphological and physiological sunflower characters were assessed using path analysis in 2 years. Sixteen sunflower inbred lines were planted in 2 sets of well watered and drought stressed conditions under rainout shelter. Drought stress was imposed by water withholding during flowering stage. Seeds weight and seeds number per head had the highest direct effect on seed yield in drought stressed and well watered conditions respectively. In drought stressed condition proline content followed by plant height, stems diameter, leaf area , relative water content, root length and chlorophyll content and in well watered condition stem diameter, leaf area, root length and chlorophyll content were identified as putative traits for screening of sunflower genotypes. Plant height and stem diameter identified as suitable indicators of root length.