 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||
 |
|
||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||
Sunflower Research Program
Sunflower is considered a potentially important oil crop. Now it is assuming greater importance as research efforts have resulted in marked improvements in yield, oil content and crop adaptability, which enabled the crop to be grown successfully in most production environments. Commercial production of sunflower started in 1986 in the rain fed sector and in 1992 in the irrigated sector. However, areas under the crop have declined dramatically in recent years. Productivity is low, averaging 0.2 t/fed. in 1998/99 compared with 1.0 t/fed. in Egypt in the same year.
Research is being directed to meet the following objectives:
a) Production of adequate and good-quality seeds
b) Solving the problem of empty seeds, which can constitute about 60% of a given yield
c) Combat American bollworm insect
