Field Performance of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.

) under Varying NPK Levels

Introduction

Sunflower is widely distributed and adopted oil seed crop of the world. It is fourth

oil grain crop by area (Nasreen et al., 2015) Sunflower contains high oil contents of

about 34.26-39.13% in non-irrigated conditions and 38.50-42.73% in irrigated conditions

(Nasim et al., 2011). It is widely adapted to a wide variety of soils and climatic conditions

but perform best when grown on good land and provided management practices.

Fertilizers containing major nutrients is usually applied to meet the nutrient

deficiencies of the soil. Major nutrients like N (Nitrogen), P (Phosphorus) and K

(Potassium) plays a vital role in the growth and development of a crop and the

availability of these nutrients is more often restricted its yield (Shabbir et al., 2015).

There is an increasing demand for the integrated nutrient management and

development of early empirical models of crop to multiple nutrients (NPK), different

approaches for the proper diagnosis and management of crop nutrition is often focused

on individual nutrients.

Nitrogen (N) is very essential for plant growth and makes up 14% of dry matter

of the plants. Its availability in sufficient quantity throughout the growing season is

essential for optimum plant growth (Shanti et al., 1997). According to Onasanya et al.,

(2009), Phosphorus (P) plays an important part in many physiological processes that

occur within a developing and maturing plant. Potassium is an essential nutrient and is

also the most abundant cation in plants. It plays essential roles in enzyme activation,
protein synthesis, photosynthesis, osmoregulation, stomatal movement, energy transfer,

phloem transport, cation-anion balance, and stress resistance (Maqsood et al., 2000).

This study aims to determine the effect of NPK nutrients in Sunflower (Helianthus

annuus L.) plant. Moreover, the purpose of this study is to test on what level of NPK

nutrients will give more influenced to the growth and development of Sunflower

(Helianthus annuus L.) plant.

Literature Review

Sunflower

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is one of the most important oilseed that

originally belonged to subtropical and temperate zones crop and it is widely adaptable

and more drought tolerant than most other grain crops ( Ahmad,1992). It occupies the

fourth position among vegetable oilseeds after soybean, oil palm and canola in the

world (Rodriquez et al., 2002 and Ahmad et al.,2011).

Although sunflower is generally regarded as a temperate zone crop, it is currently

cultivated on approximately 23 million hectares in 40 countries of the world, including

some countries in the humid tropical Africa because it is quite rustic and can perform will

under varying climatic and soil conditions (Seiler et al., 2008, Kaleem et al.,2011b).

Nitrogen

Nitrogen (N) is a vital plant nutrient and a major determining factor required for

sunflower production ( Shanti et al., 1997). It is very essential for plant growth and

makes up 14% of dry matter of the plants. Nitrogen is a component of protein and

nucleic acids and when N is suboptimal, growth is reduced ( Haque et al., 2001) . Its

availability in sufficient quantity throughout the growing season is essential for optimum

sunflower growth. It is also a characteristic constituent element of proteins and an

integral component of many other compounds essential for plant growth processes

including chlorophyll and many enzymes. It also mediates the utilization of phosphorus,

potassium, and other elements in plants ( Brady, 1984) . Optimal amount of these
elements in the soil cannot be utilized efficiently if nitrogen is deficient in plants.

Therefore, nitrogen deficiency or excess can result in reducing sunflower yields.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is another essential nutrient required to increase sunflower yield

(Onasanya et al., 2009). Consequently, the lack of phosphorus is as important as the

lack of nitrogen limiting sunflower performance. Phosphorus plays an important part in

many physiological processes that occur within a developing and maturing plant. It is

involved in enzymatic reactions in the plant. Phosphorus is an essential factor for cell

division because it is a constituent element of nucleoproteins which are involved in the

cell reproduction processes. It is also a component of a chemical essential to the

reactions of carbohydrate synthesis and degradation ( Bashir, 2012) . It is important for

seed and fruit formation and crop maturation. Phosphorus hastens the ripening of fruits

thus counteracting the effect of excess nitrogen application to the soil ( Jaggi, 1998). It

helps to strengthen the skeletal structure of the plant thereby preventing lodging. It also

affects the quality of the grains and it may increase the plant resistance to diseases.

However, the requirement and utilization of these nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) in

sunflower depend on environmental factors like rainfall, varieties, and expected yield.

Potassium

Potassium is an essential nutrient and is also the most abundant cation in plants.

It plays essential roles in enzyme activation, protein synthesis, photosynthesis,

osmoregulation, stomatal movement, energy transfer, phloem transport, cation-anion

balance, and stress resistance. A major limitation for plant growth and crop production
under rainfed condition is soil water availability. Plants that are continuously exposed to

drought stress can form reactive oxygen species (ROS), which leads to leaf damage

and, ultimately, decreases crop yield. During drought stress, root growth and the rates

of K+ diffusion in the soil towards the roots are both restricted, thus limiting K

acquisition. The resulting lower K concentrations can further depress the plant

resistance to drought stress, as well as K absorption. Maintaining adequate plant K is,

therefore, critical for plant drought resistance. A close relationship between K nutritional

status and plant drought resistance has been demonstrated (Bashir ,2012) . Keeping in

view the above review, the present study was undertaken to determine the effect of

sowing methods fertility levels on growth, yield, and yield attributes of sunflower.
MATERIALS AND METHODS

This field research will be conducted at Mindanao State University General Santos City,

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. A sub plot size of 4.5 m x 5 m, with six

rows,5 m long with row-to-row distance of 75 cm and plant to plant distance of 20 cm

will be used for four replications. Urea will be used as a source of N; single super

phosphate as P and Muriate of potash as of K in the trial. The experiment was set in a

randomized complete block design (factorial) having three replications. The soil was

clay loam in texture, non- saline (EC 0.96 dS m-1), alkaline in reaction (pH

8.4), calcareous (CaCO3 9.8%), low in organic matter (0.57%), available phosphorus

(3.06 mg kg-1) and total nitrogen content was 0.05%.

Treatments

Factor A

The NPK treatments studied will be:

(0-0-0 NPK kg ha-1, 60-30-30 NPK kg ha-1 (N as broadcast), 60-30-30 NPK kg ha-1 (N

as fertigation), 90-45-45 NPK kg ha-1 (N as broadcast), 90-45-45 NPK kg ha-1 (N as

fertigation), 120-60-60 NPK kg ha-1 (N as broadcast) and 120-60-60 NPK kg ha-1 (N as

fertigation).

The sunflower variety Helianthus anuus will be sown in rows 75 cm apart. Plants will be

thinned to a spacing of 25 cm w/c rows. The crop will be cleared from weeds by one
hoeing with Spade before the 1st irrigation. All other cultural practices will be adopted

uniformly in all the plots to maintain the experimental area.

Fertilizer Placement Methodology

Broadcast

This is practiced generally used by farmers. In this method, N fertilizer will be

incorporated as urea on the surface of soil under three split applications i.e., at the

same time as the first, second and third irrigations. However, all the P from triple super

phosphate (TSP) and K from muriate of potash (MOP) will be applied as indicated

above for all treatments during seed bed preparation.

Fertigation

In this method urea was applied in three splits during first, second and third irrigations

as fertigation (application of fertilizer with irrigation water). The appropriate urea rate

was mixed with water in a tank. The tank was then placed on the head of channel which

released droplets in the running water pertaining to the appropriate plots.

Statistical Analysis
Data will be recorded individually for each parameter and will be subjected to the

ANOVA technique by using MSTATC computer software and the significant means will

be separated by using Fishers Protected LSD test (Steel and Torrie, 1980)