The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of sunflower cultivars with different oleic/linoleic acid ratio, germinating under low temperature conditions through seedling growth tests (shoot and root dry weight, and root/shoot index) and mean germination time. The results showed that the mean germination time and root and shoot dry weight did not have any relation with the oleic/linoleic ratio in either temperature condition. In seedling growth tests High Linoleic cultivars performed better than High Oleic cultivars, but the variation within each cultivar group did not permit association of that result to the oleic/linoleic ratio. These variables were related to the dry weight of the seeds. There were a differential response of the shoot and root portions at low temperature, changing the dynamics of growth, with the corresponding modification of the root/shoot Index, without relation to the oleic/linoleic ratio.
Helianthus annus; seeds; vigor
