
Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus)
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Sunflower is one of the four major oilseed crops (soybean, peanut, rapeseed and sunflower) grown for edible oil in the world. It is cultivated on about 23.31 million hectares all over the world with a production of 29.90 million tones. Major sunflower growing countries are Russia, United States, China, Argentina, France, Canada, Bulgaria, Rumania, Hungary and Turkey.
In Pakistan, sunflower is planted on about 0.363 million hectares in the four provinces. Its expansion since its introduction remained restricted due to the absence of systematic market mechanism, non-availability of quality seed and poor adaptability of imported hybrids. |
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However, with time and introduction of improved production technologies and hybrids, the per unit productivity has been increased from 750 kg/ha to more than 1700 kg/ha which is comparable with other sunflower growing countries e.g. European Union (EU) 1820 kg/ha, China 1580 kg/ha, Argentina 1730 kg/ha, USA 1730 kg/ha, Pakistan 1720 kg/ha and Commonwealth of Independent State (CIS) 1220 kg/ha.Major sunflower growing areas in Pakistan are Badin, Thatha, Mirpur Khas, Umarkot Nawabshah in Sindh, Sialkot, Bahawalpur, Vehari, Lodhran, Multan, Narowal, Rajanpur, and Layyah in Punjab. In Balochistan, sunflower is mostly cultivated in irrigated areas of Nasirabad, Jafferabad and Sibi. However, Jhal Magsi, Bolan and Lasbela districts are the potential areas. A brief of the area, production and yield of the last five years is presented below: |
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Area, production and yield in Pakistan
Source: Agricultural Statistics of Pakistan. * Economic survey of Pakistan. |
SUNFLOWER BREEDING PROGRAM AT NARC
The Oilseed Research Program, NARC has made efforts for the development of improved varieties of the majority of oilseed crops. These varieties are potentially high yielding and suitable for agro-climatic conditions of the country.
Sunflower
Development
of Local sunflower hybrids
Sunflower breeding at NARC has the following components.
* Development of inbred lines.
* Maintenance of inbred lines.
* Development of new hybrid combinations.
* Evaluation of hybrid combinations.
* Seed multiplication of inbred lines.
* Hybrid seed production on pilot scale.
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Sunflower breeding in progress |
Development of parent inbred lines used in the hybrid development TAKES 6-7 YEARS for use in hybrid development This involves a number of crossing steps to make the lines genetically pure and uniform. These efforts have resulted in the development of 37 restorer lines and 49 A & B lines. Details of the different parent lines, hybrid combinations and hybrids made are given below.
Parent lines and local hybrids of sunflower developed at NARC
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It has been observed after making hundreds of hybrid combinations that variability in the breeding material is low. It is therefore, necessary to enhance the variability in available and new inbred lines by various means. As genetic variability is the key in success of developing new varieties/hybrids. Therefore, at present more emphasis is to develop inbred lines with more genetic variation.
Technologies developed and ready for commercialization with brief description of
each Hybrid developed
PARSUN-II Approved hybrid, medium late in maturity (110-115 days), and uniform,
high yield potential of 4500 kg /ha, moderately susceptible to insect and
diseases, oil contents upto 48%.
GROWING
AREAS AND AGRONOMIC PRACTICES OF SUNFLOWER
Soil : Sandy to clay. soil (pH 6.5 to 7.5)
Seedbed Preparation: One deep ploughing with mould board plough followed
by cultivator and plank
Planting Time:
Spring
Crop
Autumn Crop
Punjab
Attock, Rawalpindi and Gujrat
1st Feb - 28th
Feb
1st July – 25th July
Sialkot, Gujranwala, Kasur,
25th Jan – 15th Feb
25th July – 10th Aug
Lahore and Sheikhupura
Mianwali, Sargodha, Jhang,Pak Pattan
25th Jan – 10th Feb
25th July – 10th Aug
Faisalabad, Sahiwal, Okara,
Khanewal, Vehari, Multan D.G.Khan
15th Jan – 10th Feb
25th July – 10th Aug
Bahawal Nagar, Muzaffar Garh,
Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan
10th Jan – 5th Feb
25th July – 15th Aug
Sindh
Southern Sindh
1st Dec – 20th
Feb
25th July – 5th Aug
Northern Sindh
15th Dec – 20th Feb
25th July – 15th Aug
Dobari Crop
1st Nov – 28th Feb
Baluchistan
Plain Areas (Naseer Abad Division)
15th Dec – 10th Feb
25th July – 15th Aug
Hilly Areas (Quetta, Khuzdar, Noshki)
15th Mar – 20th June
NWFP
Plain Areas (D.I.Khan, Bannu and Kohat) 15th Jan –
28th Feb
15th July – 20th Aug
Hilly Areas
Swat, Mansehra and other areas 1st
Mar – 30th June
Seed Rate:
5-6 kg/ha
Method
of planting:
Row to row spacing
= 75 cm
Plant
to plant spacing = 25
cm.
Fertilizer::
Nitrogen
=
150 kg/ha (1/2 at planting + 1/2 at first irrigation)
Phosphorus
= 60 kg/ha
Potassium
= 60 kg/ha
Irrigations:
4-5
Spring
crop
Autumn Crop
1st
25 days after
germination
15 days after germination
2nd
15 to 20 days after 1st irrigation
10-15 days after 1st irrigation
3rd
At the time of head initiation
At the time of flower initiation
4th
At the time of flower completion At the
time of seed setting
5th
10-15 days before harvest
Weed
Control:
Successful weed control should include a combination of cultural
and chemical methods.
Harvesting:
Harvest
when the back of heads turns yellow and bracts brownish
Threshing:
Dry for 4-5 days and thresh with thresher
Drying
and Storage: For storage 9.5 % moisture is considered suitable.
Potential
Areas:
Punjab
=
Multan, Sialkot, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Sheikhupura,
Gujranwala,
Kasur, Vehari, Sargodha, Gujrat, D.G. Khan
Sindh
=
Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Jacobabad, Dadu, Khairpur, Larkana
NWF
=
Peshawar, Mardan, D.I.Khan
Balochistan
=
Sibi, Quetta, Qallat, Nasirabad, Lasbela
Weeds
affecting sunflower crop during kharif season
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Batho |
Chenopodium
album (Chenopodiaceae) |
- |
- |
Broad
leaves |
Hand
weeding |
Stomp
0.1-105 lit/acre |
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Tandla
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Digra
muricata |
- |
- |
Broad
leaves |
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Deela |
Cyprus
rotundus (Cypraceae) |
- |
- |
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Rotary
weeder |
Dual
gold as pre emergence |
Bactra
verutena attacks cypens While
chilo partillus attacks sorghum |
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Baroo |
Sorghumhelipanse |
- |
- |
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Pohli |
Carthamus
Oxycantha |
- |
- |
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Weeds
affecting sunflower crop during spring season
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Khabbal |
Cynoden
dactylon (Poaceae) |
Grass |
- |
- |
Hoeing |
Stomp
@1-2 lit/acre |
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Lihli |
Convolvulus
arvensis (convolvulaceae) |
- |
- |
Broad
leave |
Rotary
weeder |
As
pre emergence |
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Jangli
Haloon |
Coromopus
dedymus (Cruciferce) |
- |
- |
Broad
leave |
Hand
weeding |
Dual
gold @ 800 ml/acre |
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Dramp |
Polygonum
plebejun (Polygonaceae) |
- |
- |
Broad
leave |
With
khurpa and sickle |
As
pre emergence |
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Chanderi
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Brachiaria
ramose (Poaceae) |
- |
- |
Broad
leave |
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Ronstar
@ 1 lit /acre as Pre-emergence |
DISEASE AND THEIR CONTROL
MEASURES/MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR SUNFLOWER CROPS
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Disease |
CONTROL |
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Charcoal
rot |
Use
of resistant early maturing varieties, avoid stress and irrigate
the field near maturity. Irrigation as well as crop rotation
reduce losses.
Seed
treatment with Tecto @ 2.5 g/kg help reduce primary infection from
seed |
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Head
rot: |
Avoid
injury to head from insects or mechanically. Screening for
resistant variety can also proved as a good control management
strategy.
Injury
to head due to mechanical operations should be avoided.
Bird
damage should be prevented If
insect are predisposers, suitable insecticides should be sprayed. |
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Alternaria
Leaf spot |
Fungicide
sprays:Polyram (500 gm/ha) or Deconil (1.7 – 2.3 kg/ha) Soaking
seed in hot water at 54 Co for 10 minutes. Early
maturing varieties help in escape the crop from the disease. |
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Collar
rot |
Use
of resistant varieties is the early control management. |
Diseases
and their Control Measures/Management for Sunflower
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Disease |
Control
measures |
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Charcoal
rot: |
Use
of resistant varieties, cultivate early maturing varieties, Stress
to the crop and irrigate the field near maturity. Rotation reduces
losses. Proper scheduling of irrigation of the time at flowering
and seed formation is important. Seed treatment with Tecto @ 2.5
g/kg help in reducing the primary infection from seed |
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Head
rot: |
Avoid
injury to head from insects or mechanical. Screening for resistant
variety can also prove as a good control management strategy.. If
insect are predisposes, suitable insecticides should be sprayed. |
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Alternaria
Leaf spot |
Fungicide
sprays:-
Polyram
(500 gm/ha) or Deconil (1.7 – 2.3 kg/ha) Soaking
seed in hot water at 54 Co for 10 minutes. Early
maturing varieties help in escape the crop from the disease. |
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Collar
rot |
Use
of resistant varieties is the only control management. |
Resource Person: