All About/Crops
Maximizing sunflower production
Siraj-ul-Hasan
Pakistan is disappointingly deficit in edible oil. Efforts have been afoot since long to bring about increase in the production of traditional oilseeds like rapeseed/mustered and cottonseed, being the main sources of obtaining edible oil.
But these could not be conducive enough to have been fruitful to the desired extent to decrease the deficit.
This situation, therefore, gave rise to the cultivation of some non-traditional oilseeds like sunflower, soyabean, canola and safflower.
Ghee Corporation of Pakistan (now disbanded endeavoured a lot to cultivate them in a big way by providing incentives and assurance to the farmers of lifting entire production. But nothing substantial accrued, the main reason being the inexperience of new farmers to cultivate them in a scientific manner.
The author of this article has been able to obtain tips both from local and expatriate experts for maximising the output of one of the most prototype non-traditional oilseeds viz sunflower amongst the other ones.
These are being given below for the guidance of the farmers cultivating sunflower and the field staff of provincial agricultural departments for the mutual benefit of all concerned.
It is hoped that if the cultivation of sunflower is done on the indicated lines, its output may be maximised to case the adverse oilseed situation (looming largely since long) though not instantly but in due come of time.
Tips : Seeds selection, sowing time, land selection and fertiliser.
(1). Always select and obtain high quality and standard sunflower seed available in 15 kg via packed bags keeping the high standard of seed intact with the authorised dealers.
(2). Sunflower can be grown on almost all types of soils except sandy and wet soils.
(3). Sunflower plants' roots go 2-2 1/2 feet deep. A such soil should be well-prepared on lands where rice and cotton are grown and cheesel plough be used.
(4). Use of per acre fertiliser at sowing time: 3 bags of DAP + 2 bags potash + 1/2 bag urea or 2 bags nitric phos + one bag potash or 2 1/2 bags single super phosphate + one bag urea + one bag potash.
(5). At the time of first irrigation use only 1/2 bag urea (per acre).
(6). At flowering state use only 1/2 urea (per acre).
Note: Potato growers should use at flowering stage only 1/2 bag urea since they might have applied sufficient fertiliser already to the land.
(7). Sowing of sunflower as far as possible. May be done in lines with cotton sowing drill or by means of fingers. Drill may be set at reasonable rate. The inter-distance of lines should be from 2 to 2 1/2 feet and the distance between the plants be from 9 to 10 inches, seed depth should be 2 inches.
Per acre seed rate: 2-2.5 kg.
Per acre number of plants: 22,000 - 25,000
(8). Irrigation timing, state
|
Timing
|
Stage
|
| 1st Irrigation |
30 days after seed germination |
| 2nd Irrigation |
15-20 days after 1st irrigation |
| 3rd Irrigation |
At the flowering time |
| 4th Irrigation |
At the seed formation or |
| |
0-15 days after 3rd irrigation |
| 5th Irrigation |
15 days after 4th |
These recommendations may be changed in accordance with temperature and rain-fall situations. Yet there should be no water shortage at seed flowering and seed formation stages.
(9). Weed eradication. The presence of weeds weaken the crop. As such these should be uprooted and eradicated. These should be done away with when plant bears 4 to 6 leaves. In case of delay the plants are weakened and production is adversely affected. The plants may be covered with mud up to one foot. This gives double benefit, ie weeds are killed and plants get support.
(10). Pest control: In case of pest attack, use Karate 2.5 EC from 250 to 300 m. litre per acre.
(11). Harvesting: (a) When flowers are formed and yellow leaves turn grey, water intervals should be increased, (b) when yellow leaves after turning grey start dropping, the crop is harvestable.
Harvesting may be done manually as well. If harvesting is done by means of combines the watering should be completely stopped and let the plants dry out.
Source : Business
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