OPTIMIZATION OF IN VITRO SEED STERILIZATION PROTOCOL OF SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L.) FOR HEALTHY SEEDLINGS

This study aimed to optimize in vitro sterilization protocols for sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) seeds to establish a reliablefoundation for genetic transformation and regeneration research. We evaluated the efficacy of three chemical sterilant 70% ethanol,15% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) with Tween-20, and 0.1% silver nitrate (AgNO₃) at varying exposure times. Our results indicatethat a 2-minute treatment with 0.1% AgNO₃ yielded the highest germination rate (90.6%), demonstrating its superiority for thisapplication. This optimized protocol using silver nitrate offers a robust and efficient method for producing healthy, contamination-free seedlings, addressing a critical bottleneck in sunflower biotechnology, particularly in regions like Uzbekistan where enhancingcrop resilience is a priority.

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