Assessing Consumer Acceptance of Ornamental Sunflowers through Visual Traits and DUS Descriptors

Abstract

Evaluation for DUS (Distinctness, Uniformity and Stability) characteristics in 23 Ornamental sunflower genotypes was done at College of Horticulture, Mysuru. Red Giant, Teddy Bear, Miniature Seeds, Sungold Mix, Russian Giant, Sunflower Miniature, Sungold Open Pollinated, Light Pink, Sungold Mix Open Pollinated, Sunflower Sungold, PM-81, RCR-72, RCR-91, RCR-93 and RCR-95 were genotypes that belonged to medium head size with flat head shape. Tobias and Vincent had large head size and fusiform ray floret shape, RCR-94 showed strongly convex head shape whereas, Sunflower R and Tobias recorded flathead shape and Vincent recorded small convex head shape. Genotypes Teddy Bear, Miniature Seeds, Russian Giant, Sungold Open Pollinated, Light Pink, Sungold Mix Open Pollinated and Sunflower Sungold, whereas, 6 genotypes belonged to greyish orange group (Red Giant, Sunflower Miniature, R-630, RCR-93, RCR-95 and Tobias). 8 genotypes belonged to yellow green group. 16 genotypes (Red Giant, Teddy Bear, Miniature Seeds, Russian Giant, Sunflower Miniature, Sungold Mix Open Pollinated, Sunflower Sungold, RGM-49, PM-81, RCR-72, RCR-91, RCR-93, RCR-94, RCR-95, Sunflower Rand Tobias) belonged to yellow group of ray florets. Highest score for colour of ray florets was scoredbyRCR-97(8.07) and R-630(8.00), while highest score for colour of disc florets were obtained by Vincent (7.62) and lowest score was recorded in Sunflower Miniature (6.17). The score for overall consumer acceptability was recorded highest in R-630 (8.42) and lowest in Tobias (5.21). R-630 (8.42) recorded highest overall acceptability score.