Crop guide

Sunflower

1. Land Preparation Deep ploughing, then plank to a fine seedbed. Sunflower has a deep taproot and repays loosening a hard pan. 2. Sowing Time & Method Spring crop: mid-January to mid-February — this is the main and higher-yielding season.

Rabi Sowing Jan–Feb Harvest Jun–Jul 25–35 maund per acre

Land Preparation

Deep ploughing, then plank to a fine seedbed. Sunflower has a deep taproot and repays loosening a hard pan.

Sowing Time & Method

Spring crop: mid-January to mid-February — this is the main and higher-yielding season. Autumn crop: July to August. Rows 2.5 ft apart, plants 9 inches apart, 1.5–2 inches deep.

Seed Rate & Treatment

2–2.5 kg per acre of hybrid seed. Open-pollinated seed yields far less oil.

Fertilizer

Two bags urea and one bag DAP, urea split at sowing and at bud formation. Boron at bud stage markedly improves seed set in the centre of the head.

Irrigation

Four to five irrigations. The critical ones are at bud formation, flowering and seed filling. Water stress at flowering leaves a hollow centre in the head.

Weed Control

Weed Damage Control Product
Horse Purslane (Itsit) Covers the bare soil between the wide rows before the crop can shade it, and takes the moisture sunflower needs while the head is forming. In the spring crop it germinates late, with the first hot weather, often after the 40-day hoeing, so hoe it out on that flush rather than on a set date; once the rows close, pull it by hand. In the July–August crop it is up with the seedlings and the 20- and 40-day hoeings catch it.
Purple Nutsedge (Deela) Pushes up inside the crop line and takes the nitrogen through the first six weeks, so the plants stay short and the heads set small. Hoe at 20 and 40 days and carry the tubers out; a hoe that only splits the tubers leaves more plants than it took out
Bermuda Grass (Khabbal) Its runners mat the ground between the wide rows and take the moisture and nitrogen through the first six weeks, leaving a patchy, uneven crop. Pick the runners and roots out during land preparation, not at hoeing time — every piece the hoe cuts takes root again
Bathu (Lambsquarters) In the spring crop it grows taller than the young sunflower and shades the seedlings through the whole first month, leaving a weak, uneven stand. First hoeing at 20 days, before it gets above the crop
Wild Amaranth (Chulai) Stands as tall as the crop, shades the lower leaves and leaves the heads small and light. Pull out by hand before it flowers

Hoe at 20 and 40 days. In the spring crop give itsit one more pass when the hot weather brings it up after the 40-day hoeing, and once the rows close keep the field clean by hand.