Jagmanjot Singh
Sunflower is a very important short-term oilseed crop. It is cultivated in an area of about 1.5 thousand hectares in Punjab. Its seed contains about 34-43% good quality oil and protein cake. Sunflower oil is very suitable for the manufacture of refined edible oil and vegetable oil. Sunflower oil is a rich source of linoleic acid (64%) which helps in clearing the cholesterol deposits in the coronary arteries of the heart and thus sunflower oil is very good for heart patients. This oil is also used in soaps, cosmetics, baby food, poultry and animal feed. An increased number of honey bees in the spring can lead to better seed formation and higher yields. In Punjab, sunflower can be successfully cultivated after toria, potato, sugarcane and cotton crops. Basmati-Sunflower crop rotation is more beneficial and profitable than Basmati-Wheat crop rotation. For successful cultivation and good yield, it is necessary to pay special attention to all the practices in the field from sowing to harvesting.
Moderate soil with good drainage is most suitable for sunflower cultivation. Kalrathi and bean lands are not suitable for its cultivation. Plow the field well 2-3 times after each plowing to turn the soil so that a good field is ready for sowing. Sunflower can be cultivated from PSH (2080), PSH (1962), DK 3849 and PSH (1996) (late sowing) varieties.
Its sowing should be completed in the month of January as late sowing results in reduced yield. Late or direct sowing of the crop during the second fortnight of February causes problem of seed formation due to high temperature during pollination in the month of March. Therefore, in late sowing, the crop should be cultivated through seedbed instead of direct sowing. For direct sowing of the crop use 2 kg of seed per acre and sow the seed treated with 6 g Tagran 35 WS (Metalaxal) per kg of seed. For intercropping of menthe and sunflower, use 1.5 quintals of menthe roots per acre for two rows of manthe in sunflower planted at 120 cm.
Sow it at a depth of 4-5 cm and in rows of 60 cm spacing 30 cm from plant to plant. The crop can be sown 6-8 cm down on the south side of the east-west oriented vats. After 2-3 days, water the crop sown in the field. Planting on pots can prevent crop failure and save water during cold days. Sunflower can be cultivated through greenhouse for late sowing (February-March). 1.5 kg of seeds and about half a marla (30 square meters) area are required for sowing paneer. One acre of seedlings will be ready in about 30 days. Prepare the bed using 0.5 kg urea and 1.5 kg super phosphate and cover the seed with well-rotted manure. Give light water after sowing Paneeri. Cover the paneer bed with a transparent plastic sheet like a tunnel supported by sticks. Remove the cover after the paneer seeds germinate and emerge. Apply water after the paneer is ready and before digging.
Fertilize its crop based on soil test and apply 21 kg nitrogen (50 kg urea) and 12 kg phosphorus (75 kg single super phosphate) per acre when sowing in medium soils. In light soils apply 24 kg nitrogen (50 kg urea) in two installments half at sowing and half after one month. In potash deficient lands apply 12 kg of potash (20 kg murate of potash) per acre at sowing time. Apply 10 tonnes of well-rotted manure along with recommended fertilizer in the sown crop after toria crop. If sunflower is cultivated after potato to which 20 tonnes of manure has been applied, urea should be reduced to 25 kg per acre. In intercropping of manthe and sunflower apply 23 kg nitrogen (50 kg urea-half at sowing and half 40 days after sowing) and 12 kg phosphorus (75 kg superphosphate) per acre (at sowing) in addition to recommended fertilizer for sunflower.
Sunflower needs about 6-9 waterings depending on the soil and weather. First water one month after sowing followed by two weeks in March and 8-10 days in April. Irrigation is essential for sunflowers at 50% flowering, between soft and hard seed stage.
Apply soil before flowering (60-70 cm tall crop) to prevent seedlings from falling over. Apply the first tuber to the crop 2-3 weeks after sowing and the second one 3 weeks after that. The crop is ready to harvest when the underside of the heads turns yellow-brown, the discs begin to dry and the kernels turn black. Grind the heads with a sunflower thresher and dry well and store.
Contact: 94929-00307
Krishi Science Centre, Ropar
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