Vol. 12, Issue 10 (2023)

Author(s):
Priyanka Sahoo and AS Brar

Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted at Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana to evaluate the performance of sunflower hybrids in response to irrigation methods and sulphur fertilization during spring 2016 and 2017. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with two sunflower hybrids (PSH 1962 and PSH 996), two methods of irrigation (drip and furrow irrigation) and four levels of sulphur viz. 0, 20, 40 and 60 kg S ha^-1 with three replications. The results of the study revealed that among the hybrids, PSH 1962 recorded significantly higher growth and yield attributes viz. plant height, stem girth, capitulum diameter, seed per capitulum and 1000-seed weight. The hybrid PSH 1962 recorded 17.9 and 7.5% significant higher yield than PSH 996 during 2016 and 2017, respectively. Among the methods of irrigation, drip irrigation resulted in significantly better growth and uptake over furrow irrigation during both the years and sunflower seed yield was 13.9 and 16.2% more in drip irrigation over furrow irrigation in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Application of sulphur resulted in significant increase in growth and yield attributes up to 60 kg S ha^-1. Sulphur application @ 60 kg ha^-1 gave 6.8, 14.5 and 22.0% higher seed yield over 40, 20 and 0 kg S ha^-1 during 2016 and 9.4, 24.2 and 42.8% during 2017. Application of 60 kg S/ha recorded 33.9 and 58.1% of significantly higher sulphur uptake over control during 2016 and 2017, respectively.