Climate change projections for the 21st century pose great threats to semi-arid regions, impacting seed production and the quality of sunflowers. Crop yields are negatively affected by climate variability, especially in the event of droughts during the crucial growth stages. Understanding the relationships between agrometeorological, genetic, and agronomic factors is crucial for maintaining crop sustainability. Optimal sowing dates are an essential condition for maximizing crop genetic potential, but challenges come from annual weather variations. This study analyzes how sunflower genotypes respond to different sowing dates under climate change and focuses on the conditions for obtaining maximum seed yields and favorable agronomic traits. From 2020 to 2022, the experiment featured six genotypes sown across four different dates at two-week intervals, simulating seed sunflower production. The results obtained by ANOVA indicated that the seed yield and oil yield were significantly affected by the sowing date, the genotype, and their interaction, with coefficients of variation ranging from 7.6% for oil yield to 41.1% for seed yield. Besides seed yield and oil yield, LDA biplot and Discriminant Functions confirmed that seed germination energy also played a significant role in separating genotypes into clusters. A Visual Mixed Model showed that shifting the optimal sowing date (mid-April) to early May allows a reduction in the number of days the plants spend in critical growth stages, thereby escaping stressful conditions during pollination and seed filling. The findings resulted, on average, in increased yields and improved seed quality, which are the primary goals of seed production, but not in increased 1000-seed weight. Notably, high temperatures during the critical sunflower growth stages negatively affected the measured parameters of seed production. The increased precipitation during seed filling boosted the 1000-seed mass and seed yield. Extended flowering reduced the growth rate and seed germination, but longer seed filling increased the 1000-seed mass and seed yield. Our future breeding goals will be to create genotypes with a shorter flowering period and an extended seed-filling period to better respond to climate change.

The ongoing climate change, coupled with the transformations of cultivation practices and land use in sole crop production, may cause a significant decline in sunflower yield stability. Considering that the sunflower is the third oilseed in the world oilseed market, with 45 million tons of grain per year, and that it takes the fourth position in the vegetable oil market, the implementation of sustainable growing technology in sunflower production is a necessity. Considering the above, the goal of the research was to analyze and recommend sustainable sunflower production technology in intercropping systems. A four-year trial was conducted in Serbia’s agroecological conditions (45${}^{\circ }$34${}^{\prime }$23.2${}^{\prime \prime }$ N 19${}^{\circ }$86${}^{\prime }$18.9${}^{\prime \prime }$ E) using a split-plot design. Two oil-type hybrids and one confectionary-type hybrid were intercropped with common vetch, red clover, and alfalfa. Common vetch × sunflower intercropping resulted in the decrease in almost all sunflower traits. Moreover, sunflower × alfalfa intercropping proved to be the most appropriate. The yield of NS Gricko and Rimi PR were statistically on the same level with sole cropping, while alfalfa biomass had better results after alfalfa was intercropped with NS Gricko, as compared to sole cropping. In view of the prevailing belief that yields are more stable in intercropping than in sole cropping, further research is needed in this respect, in addition to further research of the time and method of sowing.

Drought stress significantly threatens crop productivity worldwide, requiring a comprehensive understanding of plant adaptations to alleviate its adverse effects. Sunflower, as an important source of edible oil, is greatly affected by drought in different developmental stages. This review investigates the morphological aspects and phenological adaptations of sunflower under drought conditions. Through a detailed description of morphological and phenological changes in sunflower, induced by drought, we aim to unravel the plant’s strategies for coping with water scarcity. In addition, the study describes genetic background of drought tolerance in sunflower, as well as insight about valuable genetic resources. Finally, we have described drought mitigation mechanisms known in sunflower, through morpho-physiological adaptations and agricultural practices which can alleviate the effect of drought. As a future strategy this research emphasizes the importance of genetic diversity in cultivating drought-resilient sunflower, using modern breeding techniques through genomic selection and omic’s technologies as a promising strategy in the face of escalating water limitations and development of drought tolerant and tenacious sunflower.

Changing climate conditions coupled with the transformations of cultivation practices and land use in sole crop-based sunflower production may significantly decline yield stability of this oilseed crop. Given that sunflower takes the third place in the world oilseed market, with 45 million tons per year, and in the fourth place in vegetable oil production, it is necessary to adapt production technologies toward sustainable agriculture. Considering that, the goal of the research was to analyze and beneficial sustainable production technology of sunflower in intercropping systems. A four-year trial was conducted in Serbia’s agroecological rain-fed conditions (45°34’23.2"N 19°86’18.9"E) using a split-plot design. Two oil types and one confectionary sunflower hybrid were intercropped with common vetch, red clover and alfalfa. Analyses showed that intercropping of sunflower with common vetch resulted in the decrease in almost all sunflower trait values. Also, sunflower × alfalfa intercropping provided to be the most appropriate. The yield of NS Gricko and Rimi PR were statistically on the same level with sole cropping, while alfalfa biomass had better results when intercropped with NS Gricko as compared to sole cropping. Concerning the general belief that yields are more stable in intercropping than in sole crop, further research in this respect is needed, in addition to the research of time and method of sowing.