Kaurene synthetase B activity (conversion of copalyl pyrophosphate to ent-kaurene) is readily detectable in crude cell-free extracts of 3- to 4-day old dark-grown sunflower (Helianthus annuus cv. Mammoth) seedlings, whereas little or no kaurene synthetase AB activity (conversion of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate to ent-kaurene) can be found in these extracts under comparable assay conditions. A l...

The role of dietary fat unsaturation and the supplementation of coenzyme Q have been evaluated in relation to bone health. Male Wistar rats were maintained for 6 or 24 months on two diets varying in the fat source, namely virgin olive oil, rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, or sunflower oil, rich in n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Both dietary fats were supplemented or not with coenzyme Q10 ...

Following domestication, crop lineages typically undergo diversification either to adapt to disparate habitats or to fill novel agricultural roles. This process has produced the numerous varieties found in modern-day crop germplasm collections. Here, we mapped quantitative trait loci (QTLs) underlying unique traits in the Hopi sunflower, a primitive, Native American domesticate. These traits in...

Four recently duplicated flowering genes in sunflower have met diverse fates, including acquisition of a new regulatory function, providing intriguing insights into duplicate gene evolution as well as sunflower domestication.

Sunflower stalks were analysed for chemical compositions: pentosan 15.84%, holocellulose 70.69%, alphacellulose 45.74%, glucose 27.10% and xylose 7.69% based on dry weight of 100-g raw material. The most optimum condition for steam explosion pretreatment was as follows. Sunflower stalks were cut into small pieces and soaked in 0.02 M H2SO4 for overnight. After that, they were steam exploded at ...

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of sunflower seed supplements with varying fatty acid profiles on performance, reproduction, intake, and digestion in beef cattle. In Exp. 1, 127 multiparous spring-calving beef cows with free-choice access to bermudagrass hay were individually fed 1 of 3 supplements for an average of 83 d during mid to late gestation. Supplements (DM basi...

 While occasional insect pests of cultivated sunflowers may be managed by conventional or reducedrisk insecticides, the cumulative costs and risks of relying on insecticides to suppress perennial or severe pests (common in North America) call for exploration of broader pest management strategies.  Recent research with the sunflower moth (Homoeosoma electellum [Pyralidae]) and banded sunflower...

This study was carried out to determine the effects of actic acid bacterial inoculant on the fermentation and aerobic stability of sunflower silages. Sunflower was harvested at the milk stage. Inoculant-1174 (Pioneer®,USA) was used as homofermentative lactic acid bacterial inoculant. Inoculant was applied 6.00 log10 cfu/g silage levels. Silages with no additive served as controls. After treatme...

We report the optimization of sunflower oil methyl esters (SOME/biodiesel) production via alkaline catalyzed transesterification of crude sunflower oil and subsequent physical and chemical characterization. The optimum conditions elucidated for the methanolysis of sunflower oil were found to be: methanol/sunflower oil molar ratio, 6:1; reaction temperature, 60 1C; and NaOH catalyst concentratio...

Contrary to Lentz et al. (1), I suggested that the sunflower was carried from North America to Europe, not from North America to Mexico. They also misinterpret a number of early documents. In the original Mexican edition of Hernández, Ximénez (2) neither included a drawing of sunflower nor indicated its use by Indians (indios). Hernández called the sunflower chimalacatl and variants, which tran...