SUNFLOWER MAPPING IN EUROPE : STATE OF THE ART AND FUTURE PROSPECTS

¹ INP-ENSAT, Lab. Biotechnol. Amélior. Plantes, Pôle de Biotechnologie Végétale, BP107, AUZEVILLE TOLOSANE, 31326 CASTANET TOLOSAN, FRANCE

² INRA-ENSAM, Amélioration des Plantes, 2, Place Pierre Viala, 34060 MONTPELLIER CEDEX 1, FRANCE

³ Groupe de Recherche Auvergne-Tournesol: Université Blaise Pascal Clermont II, Unité associée INRA - OVGV, campus des Cézeaux, 24 avenue des Landais, 63177 AUBIERE CEDEX, FRANCE; INRA Station d'Amelioration des Plantes, et de Pathologie Vegetale, 234 avenue du Brezet, 63039 Clermont-Ferrand CEDEX02, FRANCE

We present an overview of public research programs for molecular genetics of sunflower in Europe. In France, this field is developped in three places : Clermont-Ferrand, Montpellier and Toulouse. Mapping the sunflower genome.The tools used are RFLPs, SSRs, AFLPs and STS. The actual goals and main objectives are the mapping of the cultivated sunflower genome, the mapping of an H. argophyllus x H. annuus interspecific cross and the analysis of gross genome reorganization following interspecific crosses. Single gene mapping.Disease resistances are evaluated either in cultivated sunflower for downy mildew resistance, and for the targetting of introgressed markers from H argophyllus into Phomopsis resistant line. Delta9, Delta12 & Delta15 desaturase polymorphisms are studied in segregating progenies of High- and Low- Oleic inbreds. Other traits mapped are fertility restoration (Rf1, Msc1) and branching. QTL analysis. Classical traits such as global oil content, plant height, and flowering date were investigated. The quantitative and molecular basis of Sclerotinia and Phomopsis resistance analyses are still in progress, either in simple or combined analyses. For fatty acids composition, marker assisted selection schema is in progress , as well as QTL analyses in High and Low-Oleic segregating progenies. Additional programs are developped for the QTL analysis of regeneration ability through somatic embryogenesis and of controlled drought stress resistance. First steps in genomics. Candidate gene analysis for downy mildew (Plasmopara halstedii) resistance and for Sclerotinia sclerotiorum resistance was investigated. Sequences homologous to resistance genes were rapidly obtained and colocated with diseases resistances loci or QTLs. Candidate gene analysis of Delta9, Delta12 & Delta15 desaturases is in progress, in an attempt to demonstrate that desaturase polymorphisms is in relation to oil composition of several oleic lines.