Hydroponic system for growing sunflower plants for breeding purposes

The object of the research was breeding lines and samples from the genetic collection of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). The aim of the work was to experimentally test the possibility of seed production under hydroponics conditions to improve the breeding efficiency. Plants were grown under controlled climate conditions. Mats and cubes of mineral wool were used as a substrate. All the minerals required for plant development were added to the mats using an automatic solution unit. A total of 12 chemical elements were included in the nutrient solution: N, P, K, Ca, S, Mg, B, Cu, Fe, Mo, Mn and Zn. The area of the hydroponics chamber was 75 m2. Four cycles of sunflower plants from seed sowing to physiological maturity of the next generation seeds were carried out between March 2023 and June 2024. The adapted irrigation scheme with different nutrient solutions depending on the phenological stage of the plants allowed to obtain seeds in the same volume as in the field conditions. Year-round cultivation of plants and obtaining sunflower seeds in the conditions of hydroponics chamber can be a full-fledged addition to group net isolators in primary seed production, as well as breeding nursery in field conditions. The possibility of performing a full cycle of hybridological analysis under hydroponics growing conditions in autumn-winter period, including simultaneous production of seeds of all generations P, F1, F2 and F3, is shown.