Investigation on nitrogen, sulphur and FYM application on growth and yield of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.

The present investigation entitled “Investigation on nitrogen, sulphur and FYM application on growth and yield of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)” was conducted at Agronomy Farm of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Shalimar, Srinagar during kharif 2009 and 2010. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three nitrogen levels (40, 80 and 120 kg ha-1), two sulphur levels (30 and 60 kg ha-1) and three FYM levels (0, 10 and 20 t ha-1). The plots were given uniform recommended dose of phosphorus and potassium through diammonium phosphate and muriate of potash at the rate of 60 and 40 kg P2O5 and K2O ha-1, respectively. The soil of the experimental field was silty clay loam in texture, low in available nitrogen and sulphur, high in organic carbon, medium in available phosphorus and potassium with neutral pH. The study revealed that except at 25 days after sowing (DAS), the periodic plant height, leaf area index and dry matter production recorded significant and consistent increase with increase in nitrogen rates from 40 to 120 kg ha-1 during both years of investigation. Nitrogen rates of 80 and 120 kg ha-1 at par with one another, significantly increased the total number of achenes capitulum-1, number of filled achenes capitulum-1 and 1000-seed weight over 40 kg N ha-1 during both years, however head diameter and sterlity percentage recorded significant and consistent increase with increase in nitrogen rate up to 120 kg ha-1. Nitrogen application at the rate of 80 and 120 kg ha-1, at par with one another significantly increased the seed yield over 40 kg N ha-1 during 2009 and 2010 and in the pooled yield over two years. However, stalk yield showed significant and consistent improvement with increase in nitrogen application up to 120 kg ha-1. The harvest index (HI) recorded significant increase with increase in nitrogen rateup to 80 kg ha-1 but showed significant decrease at 120 kg N ha-1 application. Nitrogen content and uptake in seed and stalk showed significant and consistent increase with increase in nitrogen rate up to 120 kg ha-1, whereas sulphur content and uptake in seed and stalk recorded at 80 and 120 kg N ha-1 was statistically similar but significantly higher than 40 kg N ha-1. The oil content recorded significant and consistent decrease with increase in nitrogen rate up to 120 kg ha-1, whereas oil yield showed significant and consistent increase with increase in nitrogen rate up to 120 kg ha-1. Sulphur application at 60 kg ha-1 significantly increased the periodic plant height, leaf area index and dry matter production except at 25 DAS over 30 kg S ha-1 during both years of experimentation. All yield attributes viz., total achenes capitulum-1, filled achenes capitulum-1 and 1000-seed weight recorded significant increase with increase in sulphur rate up to 60 kg S ha-1 during both years, whereas sterlity percentage remained unaffected with sulphur application. Both seed and stalk yield and the pooled seed yield over two years showed significant increase with increase in sulphur rate up to 60 kg ha-1. Both nitrogen content and uptake and sulphur content and uptake in seed and stalk and oil content and oil yield recorded significant increase with increase in sulphur rate from 30 to 60 kg S ha-1. FYM application at 10 and 20 t ha-1 was statistically similar but significantly increased the periodic plant height, leaf area index and dry matter production except at 25 DAS over no FYM application during both years of study. The yield contributing characters viz., filled achenes capitulum-1, head diameter and 1000-seed weight recorded with 10 and 20 t FYM ha-1 were at par but significantly higher over no FYM application, whereas total achenes capitulum-1 increased significantly and consistently with increase in FYM rate from 0 to 20 t ha-1. Sterlity percentage recorded with 20 t FYM ha-1 was significantly higher over 10 and 0 t FYM ha-1. Seed yield during 2009 and 2010 and pooled yield over two years recorded with 10 and 20 t FYM ha-1 was at par but significantly higher over 0 t FYM ha-1, whereas stalk yield showed significant and consistent increase with increase in FYM rate from 0 to 20 t ha-1. Nitrogen content and uptake in seed and stalk recorded with 10 and 20 t FYM ha-1 was similar but significantly higher than no FYM application except nutrient content during 2009. Sulphur content in seed recorded with 10 and 20 t FYM ha-1 was statistically similar but significantly higher than 0 t FYM ha-1, whereas sulphur content in stalk and sulphur uptake in seed and stalk recorded significant and consistent increase with increase in FYM rate up to 20 t ha-1. The oil content remained unaffected by different FYM levels, however oil yield increased significantly and consistently with increase in FYM rate up to 20 t ha-1. The interaction effect of nitrogen and FYM on dry matter production at harvest, nitrogen and sulphur during 2010, FYM and sulphur during 2010 and FYM and nitrogen during 2009 and 2010 on filled achenes capitulum-1, nitrogen and FYM on seed yield and nitrogen and sulphur, nitrogen and FYM and sulphur and FYM on oil yield during 2009 and 2010 was found significant. Available nitrogen in soil after crop harvest during two years was highest with treatment combination 120 kg N + 60 kg S + 20 t FYM ha-1 and lowest with 40 kg N + 30 kg S + 0 t FYM ha-1. Similar trend was observed also for available sulphur and organic carbon content. The net returns and benefit cost ratio remained highest with tretment combination 80 kg N + 60 kg S + 0 t FYM ha-1, whereas gross returns were highest with 120 kg N +60 kg S + 20 t FYM ha-1