Abstract
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an option for oilseed production, particularly in dry land areas due to good root system development. In this study, two field experiments were performed in the El-Khattara region (Sharkia Governorate, Egypt) during the 2005 season. The objective of this research was to determine the effect of organicnitrogen (ON) sources and their combinations as well as to compare the effect of ON and ammonium sulfate (AS) as a conventional fertilizer added individually or in combination on growth, yield components, oil percentage and the uptake of some macronutrients by sunflowers grown on sandy soil. The treatments of chicken manure (CM) and a mixture of farmyard manure (FYM) with CM were superior to the other treatments and gave the highest yield, dry matter yield, NPK uptake by plants at all growth stages along with seed yield at the mature stage. The effect of the different ON on crop yield and its components may follow the order; CM> palma residues (PR)> FYM. This was more emphasized when the materials were mixed with AS at a ratio of 3:1 and 1:1. The uptake of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) by plants was affected by the addition of different N sources and treatments. The highest nutrient content and uptake by straw were obtained when treated with CM followed by PR at all growth stages, while it was PR followed by CM for seeds. Oil recovery was shown to respond to the N supply and the changes in individual fatty acids were not statistically different. However, it seems that the application of organic fertilizers resulted in an increase in total unsaturated fatty acids compared to the control.
Highlights
Egypt’s oil consumption has increased over recent years
In 2005 the production average of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) was 39.000 tons, whereas the consumption amounted to 376.000 tons in the same year (FAO, 2006)
This wide adaptability led to the fact that sunflower can be grown in less productive soils, in the newly reclaimed areas of Egypt
Summary
Egypt’s oil consumption has increased over recent years. In 2005 the production average of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) was 39.000 tons, whereas the consumption amounted to 376.000 tons in the same year (FAO, 2006). The production of vegetable oils is still, below current needs, since it covers about 10% of the consumption (El-Fayoumy et al, 1999). An improvement of the productivity of this crop is needed to meet the shortage of vegetable oils. In Egypt, the sunflower is adapted to different types of soils and climate conditions. This wide adaptability led to the fact that sunflower can be grown in less productive soils, in the newly reclaimed areas of Egypt
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