RELATIONSHIP OF MORPHOLOGICAL PLANT CHARACTERISTICS OF SUNFLOWER TO BIRD FEEDING

Abstract

Bird damage to sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is a serious problem in many areas where the crop is grown commercially. This study identifies morphological characters of sunflower that could be used in breeding programs to develop genotypes with improved resistance to bird feeding. An open-pollinated population of sunflower genotypes was tested in four environments for the effects of head shape, bract length, achene size, achene color, plant height, head diameter, distance between head and stem, and head angle. Feeding damage from blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus L.) and house sparrows (Passer domesticus L.) was visually estimated. Concave heads, medium distances between the heads and stems, and white achenes discouraged blackbird feeding. Concave heads and downturned heads were aversive to sparrows.Key words: Sunflower, plant characteristics, bird feeding, Helianthus annus L.