Growth and yield of sunflower as influenced by VAM and phosphorus application

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted at Experimental Farm, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu during July – October 2015 to study the effect of mycorrhizal inoculation (VAM) and different levels of phosphorus on growth, yield attributes and yield of hybrid sunflower cv. Sunbred.The experiment was conducted by factorial randomized block design with two replications. The treatments of experiment consisted of 4 levels of P2O5 (0,25,50,75 and 100kg/ha) applied in the presence or absence of VAM inoculates. The results revealed that growth, yield attributes and yield was significantly influenced by various P levels in the presence and absence of VAM inoculations. The growth and yield of sunflower was highest under mycorrhizal inoculated plants than non micorhizal inoculation. Among the various phosphorus levels tried, P2O5 at 100 kg ha-1 recorded maximum values for growth and yield, while P2O5at 25kgha-1 registered minimum values for growth and yield of sunflower. Among the treatment combinations tried, mycorrhizal inoculation with P2O5 @ 100 kg ha-1 recorded maximum values for growth and yield attributes and yield of sunflower (2153 kgha-1)but it was on par with M2 P3 (mycorrhizal inoculation with P2O5 @ 75 kg ha-1). The lowest values of growth and yield attributes and yield were recorded by non-mycorrhizal inoculation with P2O5 @ 25 kg ha-1.