Soil test based nutrient management and fertilisation strategies for sunflower crop

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted for three rabi seasons (2014-15, 2015-16 & 2016-17) at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh to study the influence of different levels of fertilizers on yield attributes, seed yield, benefit cost ratio and available soil nutrient status of sunflower. The results revealed that the maximum plant height (cm), capitulum diameter (cm), capitulum weight(g), were obtained with STCR Equation-2+ VC @ 2 t ha-1, maximum test weight, stalk yield and seed yield (2208 kg/ha) were obtained with STCR Equation along with vermicompost @ 2t/ha. While the minimum values of yield attributes and seed yield (1000 kg ha-1) and yield attributes were recorded with farmers practice. The study indicated that Nutrient management based on soil tested data besides maintaining the available N, P and K of soil, leading to positive nutrient balance.