Effect of different planting dates on the growth and productivity of sunflower varieties

Abstract

The local production of oilseeds in Pakistan contributes 0.507 million tons out of a total of 3.255 million tons, while 2.748 million tons are imported. Pakistan focuses on major oilseed crops such as sunflower, canola, rapeseed, mustard, and cotton. The study aims to investigate the impact of planting dates on the growth and seed yield of sunflower, recognizing its multifaceted importance in promoting digestion, cardiovascular health, and cognitive function. The trial was carried out during the spring season of 2020 at the Experimental Farm of the Department of Agronomy, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam. Sunflower varieties, namely HO-1 and Suncrop 555, were studied. The findings indicated that sowing sunflower crops on February 15th led to the highest values in various growth and yield parameters, including plant height (177.67 cm), flowering days (97.50), maturity days (109.17), stem girth (29.83 cm), seeds per head (1007.7), seed weight (88.50g), head diameter (17.83 cm), seed index (700.83g), seed yield (483.50 kgha^-1), and oil content (38.00%). The planting date of February 15th demonstrated optimal crop development and yield characteristics. Furthermore, the variety "Suncrop 555" exhibited significantly higher crop yield compared to the "HO-1" variety.