Wild Helianthus species possess valuable resistance genes for sunflower broomrape ( Orobanche cumana Wallr.) especially the 39 largely underutilized perennial species. Resistance to race F has been transferred into a cultivated background via bridging of interspecific amphiploids. More recently a single dominant gene resistant to race G was identified in annual H. debilis ssp. tardiflorus and transferred into cultivated HA 89. Interspecific crosses between wild annual Helianthus species and cultivated lines are relatively easy compared to those involving wild perennial species which were made easier only after the development of embryo rescue techniques. Interspecific amphiploids resulting from colchicine treatment of F 1 hybrids provide bridging materials for transferring genes without relying on embryo rescue. Among the diploid tetraploid and hexaploid perennial species the speed of gene utilization follows the ploidy level of diploids tetraploids and hexaploids due to the time-consuming backcrosses required to eliminate the extra chromosomes in the latter two groups. In the development of pre-breeding materials the retention rate of genetic material of the wild species is another concern with each additional backcross. For crosses involving tetraploid and hexaploid wild perennials the use of 2 n =51 chromosome F 1 or BC 1 F 1 generation as pollen source could accelerate chromosome reduction to 2 n =34 in BC 1 F 1 or BC 2 F 1 resulting in useful materials with fewer backcrosses for trait selection.