Impact of varying planting patterns and fertilizer application strategies on autumn planted sunflower hybrid

Abstract

Achene yield, oil contents and protein contents are vital yield attributes of sunflower crop. To acquaint the impact of NP rates and planting patterns on the production potential of autumn sunflower hybrid Hysun-33 and fertilizer use efficiency a field experiment was executed in 2005. Treatments comprised of four NP combinations viz. 0-0, 50-35, 100-70 and 150-105 NP kg ha-1 and two planting patterns viz. bed sowing with 75 cm wide beds separated by 20 cm furrows and bed sowing with 60 cm wide beds separated by 25 cm furrows. Treatment 150-105 NP kg ha-1 with 75 cm wide beds separated by 20 cm furrows was found to be supercilious as it exhibited significant lofty achene yield (3360.00 kg ha-1), number of achene head-1 (1267.02), 1000-achene weight (68.65 g), biological yield (11166.6 kg ha-1) and harvest index (30.09%). Contrastingly, treatment 0-0 N-P kg ha-1 with 60 cm wide bed separated by 25 cm plant spacing bestowed the minimum grain yield. Frail increase in oil contents with gradual increase in fertilizer levels but it did not procure at a level of significance. Superior protein contents (27.71%) were revealed in treatment 150-105 N-P kg ha-1 with 75 cm wide bed separated by 20 cm plant spacing.