Sunflower

Sunflower is one of the important oilseed crops in Odisha grown as an irrigated crop. It is mainly grown for its oil which is used for culinary purposes, preparation of Vanaspati and the manufacture of soaps and cosmetics. Its cake is rich in protein and is used as cattle and poultry feed.

Climate Condition:

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 type:

It performs well in 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:

Morden(Chernianka-66), Jwalamukhi, Sunrise, MSFH 17, KBSH 1, EC 101495 (Cerninka), MSFH 8, PAC 36, EC 68415 (Armavirskij) etc.

Land Preparation and sowing:

Sunflower requires a well-cultivated field which can be attained by 2 – 3 ploughing operation followed by planking.
Soil should be moist at least 10 cm deep before sowing and this condition necessitates good soaking rains or irrigation before sowing.
In case of a winter crop, sowing should be completed between mid-October to mid-November and second week of January for an early summer crop

Seed rate & treatment:

About 10 kg/ha (5kg/ha for hybrid varieties) of well-filled seed. The pre-soaking of seed in water for 12-14 hours and shade dry ensures a rapid and high percentage of germination, early emergence and establishment of the crop.
To protect seed from seed-borne fungal diseases, seed treatment with Trichoderma spp.@ 5-10 gms/kg of seed is recommended.
The seed is drilled at a depth of 5 – 7 cm by adopting a spacing of 45 cm between rows and 30 cm between plants in the row (60 x 30 for hybrid varieties).

Fertilizer Management:

FYM or compost 10 t/habefore sowing
Inorganic fertilizer

Variety type	N	P₂O₅	K₂O
Variety type		kg/ha
HYV	40	40	30
Hybrid	80	80	60

For better grain filling and oil content, apply gypsum @ 250 kg/ha and Borax @ 10 kg/ha as basal in seed furrows

Irrigation:

In general, one pre/post-sowing irrigation is required for better germination with subsequent irrigation at critical stages of moisture requirement like, bud initiation, flowering and grain-filling.

Weed management:

If required thinning at 2-3 weeks’ stage of the crop followed by hoeing and manual/mechanical weeding at 3-4 weeks
Power weeder can be used for weeding and earthing-up together
As part of chemical weed control, apply Isoproturon 50%WP @3gms/lit of water within 3 days of sowing and Quizalofop-ethyl 5%EC @ 2ml/lit of water at 15 days after sowing

Plant Protection:

Insect Pests: Capitulum- borer (HeliothisarmigeraHb)Control: Spray Flubendiamide 39.35% M/MSC @ 0.25ml/lit of water

Sucking pests: Jassids, thrips, leaf hopper, white fly Control: Spray Imidacloprid 17.8% SL @0.3ml/lit of water

Diseases:

Leaf –rust: Spray Chlorothalonil 75% WP @ 2gm/lit or, Difenoconazole 25%EC @ 1ml/lit of water

Downy mildew: Spray Fosetyl-AL 80% WP @3 gms/lit of water

Powdery mildew: Spray Difenoconazole 25%EC @ 1ml/lit of water

Alternaria leaf spot: Spray Chlorothalonil 75% WP @ 2gm/lit of water

Harvesting and Yield:

The crop has to be harvested when the lower side of the head turns yellow. The mature heads are cut with a sickle and are dried by exposing the upper side with seed 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/ha under rainfed conditions and 800-1200 kg/ha under irrigated conditions.