b'and confection snacks, Gilbert explains. Fungicides provide little control and to date breeders haveSUNFLOWERS AT A GLANCE, 2020 not been able to provide adequate genetic resistance, he reports. Phomopsis has also been an increasing problem overGlobal acreage has risen from 24,708,000 to 27,521,000 from 2014 to 2019. Yield has the past five years. This foliar and stem fungus causes seed lossalso increased from 1,670 to 1,980 metric tonnes/ac between 2014 and 2019. and standability problems. Research has shown some value fromCountries top-ranked for production are Russia, Ukraine, Argentina, Romania, herbicides and breeders are working to provide genetic toler- China, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Turkey, Spain, Hungary, South Africa, France and USA. ances.S&Ws leading sellers right now are Clearfield, but GilbertFrance is the largest importer of sunflowers seeds. In the last five years, imports says that because he and his colleagues are anticipating morehave risen by 41% in volume and 34% in value, due to decreased domestic movement to the ExpressSun technology.production. Consumption of sunflower oil is highest in India and has increased We will be addressing that as we bring forward new hybrids. Secondly, our lineup is focused on high-oleic, he says. We areabout five-fold over the past 15 years. Sunflower oil exports to India increased considering adding NuSun, but the main lineup will continue toby over 20% between 2018 and 2019. Oil imports are also rising in Iraq, China and be high-oleic. other countries.David Pearson, head of branding at Limagrain Field Seeds,Major oil producers include Archer Daniels Midland Co, Bunge, Cargill, Conagra explains that Limagrains sunflower breeding activities are very much driven by technology, focused on both various herbicideBrands and Rusagro Group. Several companies are launching oil processed tolerances and quality traits such as high-oleic. Limagrain sun- without chemicals, which allows vitamins to be retained. Ngetta Tropical Holdings flower seed is produced in Europe, Argentina and California.in Uganda, for example, has launched Virgin Gold. We consider sunflower a strategic crop, Pearson says. The(Sources: the National Sunflower Association, Mordor Intelligence, Research And oil has a wide appeal and thats going to continue to be reflected in demand from farmers.SW Markets, Industry Research and S&W Seed Company)96/ SEEDWORLD.COMDECEMBER 2020'