Coloring of ray flowers in the collection of sunflower lines

The aim of the work was to determine the uniformity of coloring of sunflower ray flowers in the yellow range, and to assess the diversity of collections on a double-coloring trait. A method of direct scanning was used. This work allows having a correct evaluation of the collection on a studied trait. The presence of significant difference in the coloring of all ray flowers of sunflower on the channel G was stated. The obtained data certified there are at least two groups of the distribution the ray flower coloring: monochromatic with color difference between a distal part and a base of the ray flower up to 10-12 G-points and double-coloring more than 18-20 G-points. It was found the lines with yellow ray flowers are characterized with double-coloring, except lines ZL809, LG3, and B2073. Lines with a light colors: lemon and light-yellow, are characterized with homochromatism less than 10 G-points, except ZL678/327 and SLM5. Lines with orange coloring of the ray flowers include both double-coloring and monochromic with a difference in color up to 56 G-points. The possibilities to evaluate the flower color on the distal part and the base as a quantitative trait is presented. The direct scanning method significantly helps to work with collections, as detects the change of lines, their identity. Such information, obtained within a short time and without special equipment and reagents, can be a great help to geneticists and breeders, and possibly to seed growers. The further study of the trait of coloring uniformity must be conducted using results of crosses and segregation from the genetic point of view.