Genetic control of the color of ray flowers in sunflower mutant lines

Sunflower (Hellianthus annuus L.) inflorescences have flowers of various shapes, role and colors. The aim of our work was to study genetic identification of new sources of light types of colors and genetic control of traits. The mutant MV4 was crossed with the lines, which had a yellow color of ray flowers. In the second generation, segregation of colors was obtained, which corresponds to the ratio 3 yellow to 1 light. This indicates monogenic recessive control of the trait of light color. To identify the gene that caused the light color, the mutant MV4 was crossed with the line: KG108 (“su” gene – sulfurous color), BA1B (“ly” gene – light yellow color), and KG107 (“l” gene – lemon color). In the KG108 × MV4 crossing combination, the first and second generation hybrids had a light color that was not visually different from the parents. This testifies to the identity of the genetic control of the trait sulfurous coloration in lines KG105 and MV4. In the crossings MV4 × BA1 and MV4 × KG107 usual yellow coloration of the ray flowers was obtained in the first generation. In the second generation of MV4 × BA1 combination, splitting of colors of ray flowers with a ratio of 9 yellow to 7 light yellow was observed. This ratio indicates the presence of two separate genes that control these types of color. In the second generation of MV4 × KG107 combination, four classes of plants were observed in the coloration of ray flowers: yellow, orange, light and light orange. Splitting reliably corresponded to a ratio of 9 : 3 : 3 : 1. This confirms the independent control of two colors by different genes with complementary interaction. Mutant MV5 with lemon-colored ray flowers was crossed with the line LVO7, the plants of which have the usual yellow color of ray flowers. In the first generation, hybrid plants were obtained with the usual yellow color of ray flowers. In the second generation, splitting into two classes was observed: with yellow and lemon colors of flowers. This confirms the hypothesis of a monogenic recessive control of the trait of lemon coloration of ray flowers of sunflower in MV5 line. Crossings of lines with lemon coloration was carried out, where the mother component was the line ZL678, and the father ones: MV5, Temp234, КГ107, LG11-2, Sl2349, I4RHA274. In all descendants, only lemon coloration of ray flowers was observed, which indicates the same genetic control of the trait by the gene “l”.