INTERNATIONAL SUNFLOWER ASSOCIATION

Fats, oils and lipids.

The parasitic angiosperm broomrape (Orobanche cumana Wallr) causes economic damage in sunflower production in a number of countries around the world, but especially in Central and Eastern Europe, Spain, Turkey, Israel, Iran, Kazakhstan, and China.

For almost a century, there has been a constant tug-of-war between sunflower breeders and Orobanche cumana, with frequent changes in which side has the upper hand. Almost as soon as the breeders find a source of resistance to the latest race of the pathogen, broomrape responds by evolving into another virulent race. The development of resistant cultivars as well as optimized managing strategies is a high priority in controlling this parasite, over the world.

Oil crops are rich sources of oils, proteins, minerals, vitamins, dietary fibers for both human and animal feeding and provide raw material for production of biodiesel. Oil crops are soybean, cottonseed, sunflower, canola, rapeseed, peanut, safflower, flax, sesame, coconut, castor, copra, etc.

Almost 50% of the global food protein supply comes from cereal seeds. Soybean, peanut, common bean, pea, lupine, chickpea, faba bean, lentil, grass pea, cowpea, pigeon pea, etc. are currently the most important legumes for human consumption and animal feed. Because of the protein content of their seeds; grain legumes, cereals, and other minor crops such as amaranth, quinoai, hemp, caraway, etc. are protein crops growing for plant protein for food and feed.