Influence of plant population on productivity and yield quality of the maternal lines of sunflower hybrids

Influence of plant population 40, 50, 60, 70 ths plants per ha on productivity and yield quality of maternal lines VK 678 А, VA 93 А and VА 760 А was studied in 2012-2015 on leached chernozem of Krasnodar region. The optimal plant population appeared to be 60 thousand per ha, production with plant population 70 thousand per ha did not increase the productivity of maternal lines, and population of 50 ths plant per ha caused yield loses up to 5-10% compared to optimal plant population. Oil content in seeds of maternal lines increases inconsiderably - in average on 0.8% - while plant population enlarges from 40 to 60 thousand per ha. With population increase to 50-70 ths plants per ha, compared to 40 ths plants per ha, the following parameters of maternal lines plants are lowered in average: head diameter - on 0.7-2.9 cm, amount of filled seeds in a head - on 7.8-27.0%, 1000 seeds weight - on 4.6-15.6%.