SUMMARY

In this research we have determined germination energy and germination of seeds of sunflower hybrids ‘Luka ’ and ‘Apolon’, at the beginning of storage and 6, 12 and 18 months after of storage period (2011-2012) in the floor concrete storage at two different air temperatures and humidity (S-1: air temperature 15-18°C and relative air humidity 65-70%) as well as in climate chamber (S-2: air temperature 10-12°C and relative air humidity 60-65%), stored in four treatments (Control: processed-untreated seed; T-1: treated with A.I. metalaxyl-M; T-2: treated with A.I. metalaxyl-M + A.I. imidacloprid and T-3: treated with A.I. metalaxyl-M + A.I. clothianidin). Based on the obtained results we have determined that sunflower hybrid ‘Luka’, compared to hybrid ‘Apolon’, in the given storage conditions and with the same seed treatment has 5-8 % higher germination energy and seed germination and that in climate chamber both hybrids have 5-7 % higher germination energy. Seed treatment of both sunflower hybrids with A.I. imidacloprid maximally reduced initial germination energy and seed germination in all tested periods and conditions of storage. On the average, natural seed, after 18 months of storage did not have better seed quality compared to seed treated with A.I. metalaxyl-M while other treatments had more significant influence on reduction of germination energy and seed germination, 6-15%. On the average, compared to other variants, seeds treated with A.I. metalaxyl-M after 18 months of storage in both storage conditions had higher germination energy by 4-15%, and seed germination by 2-12%. Key-words: sunflower, germination energy, germination, storage, seed treatmen