Sunflower is an important oilseed crop contributes 14% of the total oilseed production from nine major oilseed crops. Sunflower is known as a " Surajmukhi" as it is grown for ornamental purpose . It is the third most important oilseed crop of the world after soyabean , Rapeseed & Mustard . The genus Helianthus means ( Helio - Sun , anthus means flower)

1. COURSE NAME – RAINFED AGRICULTURE &
WATERSHED MANAGEMENT
COURSE CODE – AG-369
SUBMITTED BY SUBMITTED TO
BAISHALI MOHANTA. BASANT KUMAR
5TH SEM ,SEC –A. (ASST. PROF. OF AGRONOMY)
ROLL NO. - 2119

2. INTRODUCTION
Scientific Name : Helianthus annus
Family: Asteraceae
Chromosome no. - 34
ORIGIN: Southern USA (Peru) & Mexico
Introduction
 It is an important oilseed crop contributes 14% of the total oilseed production from nine
major oil seed crops.
 The genus Helianthus (Helio=Sun, anthus= flower).
 Sunflower is known as a “surajmuki” as it is grown for ornamental purpose. It is the
third most important oilseed crop of world after soybean, Rape seed& Mustard in India .

3. COMPOSITION OF SUNFLOWER SEED
Constituents Composition (%)
Hull 21 - 27%
Oil (seed) 28 - 35%
Oil (kernel) 48 – 53%
Protein 14 - 19%
Soluble sugar 7 - 9%
Crude fiber 16 - 27%

4. ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
 The oil content varies from 48-53% and it is premium oil with pale yellow in
colour used for cooking and margarine.
 Sunflower is a rich source of linoliec acid (64%) .
 Sunflower oil has high oxidative stability and it is more useful as frying oil.
 Sunflower oil is used as industrial feed stock for manufacturing cosmetics, soaps and
pharmaceuticals.
 Oil contains high level of alpha tocopherol, a form of vit. E.
 Oil cake contains 40-50% high quality protein .
 The bast fibre of the stem is source for making rough quality paper.
 Recently sunflower oil is recognised as an alternative source for diesel engines with octane
rating of 37 and it is rated as number 2 diesel oil.

5. AREA AND DISTRIBUTION:
 It is mainly grown in USSR, USA, Argentina, France, Italy and China.
 Karnataka ranks first with respect to area (1015 th. ha) and production (549 th.t)
followed by AP.
 The highest productivity was recorded by UP (1650 kg/ha) followed by T.N during
2008-2009.
 AICRP on sunflower - Bangalore.
 ARS on sunflower – Rajendranagar

6. CLIMATE
 Basically sunflower is a temperate oil seed crop but it is adapted to tropical and subtropical
climate.
 Minimum temperature for germination is 8-10°C but it can germinate even up to 40°C .
 Night temperature of 18-20°C and day temp. of 24-26°C are ideal for growth, yield and higher
oil content.
 The crop is photo insensitive as it flowers at wide range of photoperiods. Optimum day length
for better yield should be >12 to 14 hours.
 Fairly drought tolerant with deep root system and comes up in areas receiving minimum
rainfall of 500-700mm upto an altitude of 2500 MSL.

7. SOILS
 Sunflower can be grown on wide range of soils but it does best in medium
black to black soils with high moisture retention capacity.
 Sunflower does not with stand waterlogging. Good drainage is preferable
for cultivation of crop.
 Yield and quality is drastically reduced when soil salinity reaches 10 to 12
ds/m. Optimum soil pH for sunflower in 6.5 to 8.5.
Varieties: Maruti, KBSH 44, Pro Sun 09, NDSH – 1, DRSH – 1, MSFH – 8,
APSH – 11,Jwalamukhi, Sungene 85
Hybrids : TNAUSUF 7, DRSF 108, EC 69874, EC 68413, EC 68414
(Russian) Sunrise selection (Canadian )

8. FIELD PREPARATION

 Sunflower requires a well pulverised seed bed for better
germination and growth.
 One/two ploughings with soil turning plough (or) M B plough
followed by 2-3 harrowings and planking are sufficient to bring
desired soil tilth.
Seedsandsowing:
 For quick germination seed hardening is done.
 Sunflower seeds cannot be used as seed, immediately after
harvest of crop since seeds will have dormancy period .
 To overcome the dormancy, treat the seed with ethereal solution
for 6 hours.

9. TIME OF SOWING
 Sunflower being a photo insensitive can be grown irrespective of
the season.
 The sowing date of Sunflower can be adjusted in such a way that
flowering period does not coincide with heavy rains .
 Kharif: Telangana and Rayalaseema: First week of August.
Coastal: last week of August.
 Rabi (rainfed): - First week of Oct.
. (Irrigated): November – December.
 Summer: second week of January - First week of February

10. SEED RATE
Rainfed Irrigated
Varieties 8-10 kg/ha 6-7 kg/ha
Hybrid 5-6 kg/ha 4-5 kg/ha
METHODOF SOWING:
• Line sowing by seed drill is recommended (or) behind the plough.
• Direction of rows preferably should be north– South .
• The head and leaves face east in morning and west in evening.
• Phototropic nature ceases one day before the ray florets open.

11. Spacing:
 varieties: 45 × 30 cm
 Hybrids: 60 × 30 cm
Depth of sowing: optimum depth of sowing is 4-5 cm.
Seed treatment: Captan/ Dithane M- 45 @ 3g/kg seed.
Thinning: Done at 15 DAS to avoid competition and to maintain single plant/ hill.
Manuresandfertilizers:
 Sunflower crop is supposed to deplete the soil fertility besides producing allelochemicals.
 Nitrogen is most limiting element in sunflower production. The response to N, P and K is higher than
other crops.
FYM @ 5-10 t /ha 2-3 weeks before sowing.

12. FERTILIZER RECOMMENDATION
 Rainfed crop: 60: 40: 30 kg N, P2O5 and K2O / ha
 Irrigated crop: 80: 60: 40 kg N, P2O5 and K2O / ha
 Hybrids responds upto 120 kg N ha-1
1/3rd N, 1 P2O5 &1 K2O as basal
1/3rd N at 30 DAS (Button stage)
1/3rd N at 55 DAS (flowering stage)
 elemental sulphur at @ 25 kg ha-1 is recommended to soil at last ploughing.
 Borax @ 0.2 % is beneficial.

13. IRRIGATION
 Sunflower is highly responsive to irrigation. The total water
requirement of sunflower is 500- 600 mm.
 The critical stages for moisture in Bud initiation (30 DAS),
flower opening (45-50DAS) and seed filling (60-75 DAS).
 The total number irrigations depend up on seasons i.e. 3-6 for
kharif and 4-8 for Rabi.
 Irrigation should be stopped at 20 days before harvesting.
 Sunflower is an excellent indicator plant for identifying the
moisture stress.

14. WEED CONTROL
 Sunflower has slow growth rate during 4-6 WAS hence weed free condition during
the period results in better yields.
 The crop weed competition in sunflower is 30-45 DAS i.e. 4-6 WAS.
 Two inter cultivations or hand weedings at 15 & 30 DAS is recommended.
 PPI: Fluchloralin @ 1 kg a.i /ha
 PE: Pendimethalin @ 1 kg a.i. /ha
 Alachlor @1-1.5 kg a.i /ha
 Post Emergence: Nitrofen @ 0.5 kg /ha is recommended.
 Earthing up at knee high stage is recommended to avoid lodging the crop before
flower opening.

15. HARVESTING
 The sunflower crop is ready for harvesting when the moisture content of
seed is 20%.
 The heads are ripe when back of the head turns yellowish brown and
lower leaves
become brown to dark brown.
 The sunflower head is mature physiologically at 35-40 Days after
flowering. It ranges from 90-100 DAS.
 The harvesting should be done with the help of sickle by removing the
head.
 The harvested head should be thoroughly sun dried and threshed by
beating the centre of the head with small stick or threshers are also
useful.

16. YIELD
 Rainfed: 10-15 q/ha
 Irrigated: 20-25 q/ha
 Stalk yield: 10-12 q/ha

17. THANK YOU