Sunflower
Suryaful, Suryakanti, Surajmukhi
Compositae
Helianthus annus
EC 68414, EC 68416, Morden, SS 56, Bhanu, Surya , Ec 69874, Sunrise selection, S-65, Surya Hybrids- DM RSH-1, LDM RSH -3, MSFH-1, MSFH-17, KBSH-1, KBSH-11, 44, APSH-11, Phule raviraj BSH-1
Sunflower unlike other crops is unaffected with the nseason and day length with the exception of freezing temperatures it can be sown in any season of the year. However sowing date in sunflower is adjusted in such a way that flowering period does not coincide with the heavy rains because it affects pollination and seed set. It can be grow in kharif , Rabi and Summer.
Sunflower holds great promise because of its short duration , photo insensitive , wide adaptability and drought tolerance. It can be grown any time of the year. Sunflower tolerates temperature ranges of 5 o c to 40 o c without significant yield reduction . Optimum temperature being 27 o c to 28 o c . Cool climate during germination and seedling growth warm weather from seedling stage to flowering stage.Warm and sunny days during lowering to maturity.
sunflower can be grown on a wide range of soils and tolerates a moderate pH range and to some extent salinity. It thrives best on medium to heavy soils with good drainage. The ill drained and more slopy and acidic soils are not suitable. The optimum pH range is 6.5 to 8.5.
sunflower requires well pulverized weed free land with adequate moisture supply. Ploughing is done by mould board plough followed by planking and 2-3 disc harrowing. If the prblem of white grubs add linden powder @ 40 kg/ha and 5-6 tone/ha of FYM/Compost before last harrowing.
1) Seed should be treated with Brassical or thirum @ 2-2.5 g/kg of the seed for
the control of seed born fungal diseases like wilt.
2) For the control of yellow mozaic disease seed should be treated with Apron 35 S.D. @ 6 g/kg of seed.
3) Seed should be treated with Emaidachoroprid 70 W.A. gauch @ 5g/kg seed for
the control of nacrosis disease. For ‘N’ fixation Azotobactor seed treatment @ 25 g/kg seed.
Drilling is the common practice. Dibbling is most appropriate method for hybrids.
In kharif – 3 rd week of June to 1 st fortnight of July
Rabi- First fortnight of October to first fortnight of November.
Summer- last week of January to 15 th February.
In Heavy soil. Distance between two rows is 60 cm and distance between two plantsis 30 cm. In Medium soil Distance between two rows is 45 cm and distance between two plantsis 30 cm. Depth of sowing – 5-6 cm , soil should be pressed and should be in contact with seed.
Optimum plant population is required 60000-70000 plants /ha.
Improved variety – seed requirement is 7-8 kg/ha
Hybrid seed requirement is 5-6 kg/ha.
Thinning- is the most important operation. This practice should be done at 15
days after sowing. Retaining only one healthy plant at recommended spacing.
Weeding and hoeing- sunflower crop should be kept free of weeds in initial stages
upto 45 days by giving 2-3 hoeing and 1-2 weeding according to weed intensity.
one head (flower) should be kept per plant.
Sunflower is an exhaustive crop and responds well to the manure and fertilizers.
For its successful cultivation irrigated crop FYM/Compost @ 5-6 ton/ha and
rainfed crop FYM/Compost @ 2.5 tons/ha are spread and throughly mixed with
last harrowing. For rainfed crop 50 kg N, 25 kg P 2 O 5 and 25 kg K 2 O at the time of
sowing give it with two bowl seed drill and for irrigated crop give 60 kg N, 30 kg
P 2 O 5 + 30 kg K 2 O). From this 30 kg n, 30 kg P 2 O 5 and 30 kg K 2 O at the time of
sowing and ramaining 30 kg N one month after sowing. If there is deficiency of
sulphur in soil apply sulphur @ 20 kg /ha through vermicompost at sowing.
Sunflower is a crop of medium water requirement usually in kharif not irrigated but one irrigations should be given incase of long dry spell. Sunflower crop is highly sensitive to water stress between flowering to seed filling stage. Therefore at least one irrigation should be given during this period moisture stress studies revealed that seedling stage (15- 20 days after sowing).Capitulum initiation (30-35 days after sowing) , flowering stage (45-50 days after sowing) and grain filling (60-65 days after sowing) are the critical stages.
Lasso (Alachlor) @ 1.5 kg/ha is sprayed as preemergence or pendimethalin (stamp) or 1.0-1.5 kg/ha as pre emergence spray or application of TOKE 25 @ 1.5 – 2.0 kg /ha can be advocated.
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1) For the control of flies Emidochloprid 2 ml /10 lit water sprayed after 15 day after sowing three times at the interval of 15 days.
2) For the control of Aphids and Jassids Dimethoate 0.03 % spraying.
3) For the control of Pod borer Endosulphan 700 ml or Quinolphos 1000 ml in 500 lit
water /ha.
4) Hairy catter pillar – Dusting of Carbaryl powder 25 kg/ha .
Hand Pollination- sunflower is self incompatible crop and depends on insects for
cross pollination and seed set, it is essential that adequate pollination are present in
the field for pollen movement and seed set. Keeping 4-5 boxes of behives in the foeld
increases the yield. Hand pollination may also resorted by rubbing two flower heads
together or gently rubbed with palm during flowering period. Depending upon variety
from 7-11 am on alternate days for 7-8 days.
The sunflower crop matures in 90-100 days and seed contains 20% moisture at the time of harvesting. Phenotipically the heads are ripe when back of the head turns yellowish brown and some of the bracts dried up.All the heads may not mature at one time therefore harvesting should be done in 2-3 installments to avoid shattering . cutting the heads and then dried well in sun.
1) Threshed by beating with stick.
2) Seeds are separated by rubbing the flower heads together or against metal
sheet. Infilled broken seeds and inert matter is removed by winnowing. The clean
seeds are dried in bright sunlight well to reduce moisture percentage upto 8-10%
3) Heads of sunflower threshed by using mechanical thresheer.
Rainfed Improved Varieties average yield is 8-10 Qtls /ha
Hybrids average yield is 12-15 Qtls /ha
Average yield of irrigated hybrids 15-20 Qtls /ha
seeds are treated with brassicol and stored in rat proof godowns free from dampness
Vegetable oil, it is rich source of Linolic acid which help in washing out cholesterol deposition, Alcohol, Pectin, Fuel and Paper Industry.
1) Sunflower is an important oil producing crop largest source of vegetable oil.
2) Sunflower seed contains 42-50% oil which is semidyrying used for
manufacturing of paints, Vernishes , Soaps, Cosmetics, Vanaspati Ghee as well as
culinary purposes. The oil contains Vit D, E and 14 % Protein.
3) Seed coat is used for preparing chemical viz pectin, furfurol and alcohol.
Sunflower kernels can be eaten as raw or roasted. The stalks are used for fuel.
4) Sunflwoer oil is rich source of linolic acid wgich helps in washing out
cholesterol deposition in the caronary arteies of the hearts and thus good for heart
patients.
Grading and cleaning packaged in 30 kg bags.
Maharshtra, Karnataka, Madhya pradesh, Punjab, and Hariyana. In Maharashtra it is cultivated in western Maharashtra Marathwada and Vidarbha region.
Oil Mills in different states
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