Response of Genotypes of Sunflower to Yield and Its Genotypes under Water Stress Conditions

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the experimental field of the Technical College / Al-Musayyib during the fall season of 2025 using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The study aimed to evaluate the performance of five genetic genotypes of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) under different levels of water stress and to investigate their effects on yield and its related traits.The genotypes included (Argensun   ,  Euroflor,Selected 1, Selected 2, and the Syrian cultivar as control), while irrigation treatments consisted of three different levels of water stress. The studied traits included biological yield, 300-seed weight, number of seeds per head, seed yield per plant, and harvest index.The results showed significant differences among the  genotypes, irrigation treatments, and their interaction for most of the studied traits. The Syrian cultivar outperformed the other  genotypes in most yield traits, recording the highest mean values for biological yield (219.97), 300-seed weight (44.53 g), number of seeds (685.23), harvest index (46.86), and seed yield per plant (103.02 g). Irrigation treatments also had a significant effect, as the highest irrigation level (IR2) resulted in increased values for most traits compared with higher water stress levels.The results indicate the presence of genetic variation among the studied genotypes, which can be exploited in breeding programs to improve sunflower productivity and enhance its tolerance to water stress.