However, it was the discovery of the male-sterile and restorer gene system that made hybrids feasible and increased commercial interest in the crop. Production of sunflowers subsequently rose dramatically in the Great Plains states as marketers found new niches for the seeds as an oil crop, a birdseed crop, and as a human snack food. Production in these regions in the 1980s has declined mostly because of low prices, but also due to disease, insect and bird problems. Sunflower acreage is now moving westward into dryer regions; however, 85% of the North American sunflower seed is still produced in North and South Dakota and Minnesota. II. Uses: A. Edible(söödav)oil: Commercially available sunflower varieties contain from 39 to 49% oil in the seed. In 1985-86, sunflower seed was the third largest source of vegetable oil worldwide, following soybean and palm. The growth of sunflower as an oilseed crop has rivaled that
9% de fo rested D.l to D.9% defo rested Stable or increased forest area No current data available Source World Resources rosntc te Tropical Rain Forests Trop ical rain for ests, found aro und the Earth wit h in 10 balance of nature . In the past 40 years alone, ab o ut o ne degrees of the equa to r, co ntain m or e than hal f of all fifth of the acreage has been cleared fo r logging a nd the world's p lants and anima l species, beside s to bein g other pu rp oses. T hese rain fo rest s, incl ud in g th e majo r home to man y Indi genou s peop les. Th ey are vit al to th e fo rests pin po in ted here, rem ain un der serious threat. Threats to Tropical Sundarbans (Bangladesh /India)
annaabi.ee 
