| Introduction |
|
Sunflower
(Helianthus annuus L). is mainly grown for its oil. The oil is used for culinary
purpose in the preparation of vanaspati and in the manufacture of soaps and
cosmetics. Its cake is rich in protein and is used as a cattle and poultry feed. |
| Requirement |
|
Climate |
|
This crop requires a
cool climate during germination and seedling growth, warm weather from the seedling stage
up to flowering and non-cloudy, sunny days during flowering to maturity. |
|
Soil |
|
It performs well in
deep, neutral and well-drained light soils as well as in heavy soils. The optimum pH of
the soils for this crop is 6.5-8.5. |
Varieties |
|
E.C.68413
(Vniimk 8931), E.C. 68414 (Peredovick), E.C. 68415 (Armavirskij), E.C. 68414 (Peredovick),
E.C. 68415 (Armavirskij), E.C. 69874 (Armaverts) and Sunrise. Recently, a short-duration
variety, E.C. 101495 (Cernianka). |
| Land
preparation and sowing |
|
Sunflower
is one crop in the case of which, the season of planting are not the limiting factors.
Three to four ploughing and diskings are sufficient for preparing the land. Soil should be
moist at least 10cm deep before sowing and this condition necessitates good soaking rains
or irrigation before sowing. Seed rate is 8-10kg of well-filled seeds per hectare. For
controlling seed-borne fungal diseases, seed treatment with either Brassical or Captan @3g
per kg of seed is recommended. The pre-soaking of seed for 12-24 hours ensures a rapid and
high percentage of germination, an early emergence and establishment of the crop. The seed
is drilled at a depth of 5cm by adopting a spacing of 45cm between rows and 30cm between
plants in the row. |
| Fertilizers |
|
The
crop performs best when both organic and inorganic fertilizers are applied to it. The
fertilizer Nitrogen:Phosphrous:Potash (NPK) schedules recommended in the case of rainfed
and irrigated crops are 20:30:20 and 40:60:40 kg (NPK) of per hectare, respectively. |
| Irrigation |
|
In general, for light
soils 9-10 and for heavy soils 5-6 irrigations are sufficient. The critical stages of
moisture requirement are germination, capitulum initiation, flowering and grain-filling. |
| Plant protection |
|
Pest |
|
Grasshopper
(Atractomorpha crenulata F.) and Capitulum-borer (Heliothis armigera Hb). |
|
|
|
Spray
or dust endosulphan 35 E.C. 1000ml in 500 litre water per hectare or dust cabaryl 10% 25kg
per ha. |
Diseases |
|
Leaf-rust and alternaria leaf-spot |
|
|
|
Spray 0.1% of either
Dithane M-45 or Dithane Z-78 |
|
Root-rot |
|
|
|
The
root-rot is controlled by drenching the soil with either Brassical or wet ceresan |
Harvesting and yield |
|
The
sunflower crop matures in 90-100 days. The crop has to be harvested when the lower side of
the head turns yellow and some of the bracts dry up. The mature heads are cut with a
sickle and are dried by exposing the upper side with seeds to the sun. The well-dried
heads are beaten with sticks to separate the seeds. The cleaned seed is dried well and
stored in gunny bags. The sunflower crop gives a grain yield of 300-500 kg per ha under
rainfed conditions and 800-1200 kg per ha when grown under irrigation. |
