Effect of integrated nutrient management practices on soil fertility and yield of sunflower in Cauvery deltaic region of Tamilnadu

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at Experimental Farm, Department of Agronomy, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, during Feb - May’ 2011 and Jul – Oct’ 2011, to study the effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on soil fertility and yield of sunflower. The results indicated that considerable increase in yield attributes (number of seed-1 capitulum, number of filled grains-1 capitulum), seed yield, organic carbon, microbial population and NPK availability at the end of the cropping season with the combined application of 100 % RDF along with vermicompost @ 2.5 t ha-1 (T3). This was followed by (T7) 50% RDF along with vermicompost @ 2.5 t ha-1.