This report presents research accomplishments of the working group for the valuation of wild Helianthus species since the last progress report at the FAO meeting in 1991 at Pisa, Italy. The working group conducted broad and extensive investigations on the wild species with a common goal to increase the genetic diversity of cultivâted sunflower using wild species to make it better global croP. The accomplishmènts of the working group have added new data on exploration and maintenance and characterization of wild sunflower species, germination and dormancy, phyto-genetics and classification of Helianthus, interspecific hybridization, rytogenetics of species ànâ interspecific hybrids, cytoplasmic male sterility and fertility restoration, oil quality and protein content, drought tolerance, disease resistance and regeneration of wild Helianthus ipecies, and this way they added considerable knowledge to informational datâbase about the wild sunflower species and their potential use in improving cultivated sunflower.