Sunflower: From Cortuso’s Description (1585) to Current Agronomy, Uses and Perspectives

Sunflower cultivation, once primarily ornamental and medicinal, has evolved into a globally significant crop with diverse applications in food, feed, and biodiesel production. Introduced to Europe in the 15th century and later documented by Giacomo Antonio Cortuso at Padua's Botanical Garden in 1585, its agricultural importance surged in the early 1800s due to breeding programs for oilseed and seed consumption. However, current geopolitical instability and climate change pose challenges to predicting short-to-medium-term cultivation and productivity. The study emphasizes the need for integrated strategies, including crop breeding for stress tolerance, adaptive agronomic practices like adjusted sowing dates and irrigation, and expanding cultivation into higher latitudes to enhance resilience.

Giannini, V., Maucieri, C., Vamerali, T., Zanin, G., Schiavon, S., Pettenella, D. M., Bona, S., & Borin, M. (2022). Sunflower: From Cortuso’s Description (1585) to Current Agronomy, Uses and Perspectives. Agriculture, 12(12), 1978. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture12121978