some question about sunflowers

[cortona]

i plan to grown sunflower to join a big sunflowers contest and i have recived seeds from varius grower and wen i recive it it are of 3 big group: black seeds, withe seeds and stripped
now assuming that my goal is to produce big sunflowers (but secretly big heads full of edible seeds hihihihihi)
but i want not to cross everithing with everithing istil exist a way to baggie a sunflower? or to cross it surely?
for some strin i have 4 seeds for other more.
i'm realy ignorant about the anatomy of sunflower the only thing i think about is that probably the biggest part of the work are done by the bees because of the flower color but wind? so guys please can you share some know with me?
thanks in advance for your time and attention
Emanuele

[Hristo]

This is just mine point of view:
1. Your #1 goal is giant size.
2. Sunflower is outbreeder and suffers from inbreeding depression
3. You have very few seeds of each variety/strain. It will be hard for you to keep vigorous population (and this is your goal #1)

If I were you, I would let them cross and next years will select for desired trait (in your case - giant size). That way you can end up with your own giant sunflower variety, which could be even better (bigger) that these varieties.

I think many people here would suggest you the same.

[Alan]

I agree with Hristo on this, to keep a viable population of these varieties your going to have to allow them to cross. Selecting for edible seed is a really easy trait to select for and if you have several very good varieties your chances of finding a variety that meets the large size and edible seed qualities you want should be fairly easy to pull off, plus you could create something fantastic that never existed before.

[flowerpower]

Do you have any idea what varietes you have? They might already be hybrid seeds.

[cortona]

good to know that life some time is easyer tan i immagine! being sunflowers outbreeders i can work in a different way i have planned, so letting it crossbred i can have a nice mixed populationnext yeari plan to use as mother the variety with the biggest/edible seeds(mongolian giant)and plant around this the other strainso to massimise the possible cross!(i have tahyo, and some seeds that are labeled craven:the grower probably; and some other seeds of varius shape and size) wath i hope to create is matter ofselecting the best resultant ofspring i think!
thanks to all for time and attention
Emanuele