The 6th International Symposium on Broomrape in Sunflower & 1st Meeting on Sunflower Biotic and Abiotic Stress (ORO-STRESS 2026) was successfully held in Novi Sad, Serbia, from 15 to 18 June 2026. Organized by the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Novi Sad, in cooperation with the International Sunflower Association (ISA), the Symposium gathered 124 participants from 17 countries across four continents, including researchers, university professors, students, representatives of breeding companies, the private sector, and other stakeholders involved in sunflower research and production.
The organizers gratefully acknowledge the generous support of the Symposium sponsors: Syngenta, Innolea, Guanr Agri Group, KWS, BASF, Pioneer, and Frontiers, whose contributions significantly supported the successful organization of the event. The Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation, Republic of Serbia also funded the Symposium.
The scientific programme consisted of six plenary lectures, 31 oral presentations, and 34 poster presentations, providing a comprehensive overview of recent advances in sunflower research. The Symposium served as an international forum for presenting new scientific results, exchanging knowledge, strengthening collaboration, and discussing future research priorities related to sunflower broomrape (Orobanche cumana Wallr.) and the growing challenges posed by biotic and abiotic stresses.
Scientific discussions confirmed that sunflower broomrape continues to expand into new geographical regions, including South America, emphasizing its increasing global importance and the urgent need for durable resistance sources. Particular attention was given to the potential of wild sunflower species as reservoirs of valuable resistance genes. Participants also highlighted the growing challenge of herbicide-resistant broomrape populations and stressed the importance of developing integrated management strategies combining genetic resistance, biological control, and sustainable agronomic practices.
Climate change and drought resilience represented another major thematic focus. Numerous presentations addressed the genetic, physiological, and molecular mechanisms underlying drought tolerance, the interaction between biotic and abiotic stresses, and breeding strategies for developing resilient sunflower hybrids adapted to increasingly variable environmental conditions. Additional sessions highlighted progress in resistance breeding against fungal and viral diseases, as well as emerging insect pests, demonstrating the necessity of integrated breeding approaches capable of simultaneously addressing multiple stress factors.
An important outcome of the Symposium was the establishment of a collaboration with Frontiers in Plant Science through the launch of the Research Topic “From Resistance to Resilience: Enhancing Sunflower Performance under Biotic and Abiotic Stresses.” This initiative provides an international platform for disseminating the latest research presented at ORO-STRESS 2026 while strengthening scientific collaboration within the sunflower research community. The Symposium Proceedings, containing all accepted abstracts, were prepared and published prior to the event and are now freely available through the International Sunflower Association (ISA) website, ensuring timely dissemination and permanent accessibility of the scientific contributions presented at ORO-STRESS 2026.