Divana Youssef^*1

¹ Department of Crops, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, University of Lattakia, Lattakia, Syria.

(*Corresponding author: Dr. Divana Youssef. E-Mail: Divanayousseef@gmail.com ).

Received: 28/ 06/ 2025                 Accepted: 7/ 09/ 2025

Abstract: 

The research was conducted in the Damsarkho area of Latakia Governorate, during the 2024 season. The research included two genetically derived sunflower seeds (Model 90 – Municipal variety) obtained from the Crops Department of the General Authority for Agricultural Scientific Research. They are two genetically distinct oil types, with fluctuating productivity. With the aim of searching for genetic models that are most suitable for local environmental conditions, and determining the effect of lack of irrigation water on growth characteristics, seed yield and their components. A factorial experiment was carried out according to the design of complete random sectors with three iterations, and the experiment included four levels of moisture stress: witness treatment, depletion of 25)%) of ready-made water, and other third treatments that represent 50% – 75% – 100% of field capacity during two stages from planting until the formation of the flower bud and from the formation of the flower bud until maturity. The results showed that the greater the water stress, the more the first of the two models entered the flowering and maturity stages compared to the witness. With the Model 90 outperforming the Badi variety under water stress in morphological characteristics (plant height) and all productive characteristics (disc diameter 15.63 cm, number of seeds per disc 1040.1 seeds, weight of 100 seeds 5.16 g, productivity 2.92 tons/e). The lack of morale when irrigating is 100-75% of the field capacity for most morphological and productive characteristics, and thus a large amount of irrigation water necessary to complete the sunflower life cycle can be provided without moral reduction in the value of characteristics, especially productivity.  The value of proline also increased when water stress occurred compared to the witness, and the highest was in the municipal variety, 38.65 micromol/g.

Keywords: sunflower, water stress, prolin.

Full paper in Arabic: pdf