Identification of superior sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) hybrids suitable for rabi-summer season in West Bengal

Abstract

An experiment was carried out during rabi-summer season of 2012-13 and 2013-14 to identify superior sunflower hybridssuitable for rabi-summer season in West Bengal. A total of 32 sunflower hybrids were evaluated in randomized complete block design with three replications at AICRP on Sunflower, Nimpith centre; Baruipur farm, Calcutta UniversityandRadhakantapur (NimpithCentre-adopted Village) as multilocation trial. In this study, highly significant genetic differences were observed among the sunflower hybrids in respect to the plant height at harvest, head diameter, seed weight per head, 100-seed weight, days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, husk content (%), volume weight (g/100cc), oil percentage and oil yield (kg/ha). The field observation reveals that, the hybrids developed from Nimpith Centre viz., CMS-607 A x R 273, CMS-607A x RHA-95C-1, CMS-607 A x R-83 and 207 A x R-83 significantly out yielded the best check KBSH-44 (668 kg oil/ha) in respect to oil yield (kg/ha) by recording oil yield of 836 kg/ha, 817 kg/ha, 810 kg/ha and 794 kg/ha, respectively. The hybrids, RSFH-1887 (796 kg oil/ha) and SMLHT KH-12-04 (796 kg oil/ha), SMLHT KH-12-03 (784 kg oil/ha) and LSFH-171 (719 kg oil/ha) recorded significantly high oil yield (kg/ha) than check hybrids KBSH-44 (668 kg oil/ha) and DRSH-1 (696 kg oil/ha). Considering the other yield attributing parameters like plant height and days to maturity; the sunflower hybrids, CMS-207A x R-83, CMS-607 A x R 273, CMS-607A x R-83, SMLHT-KH-12-03, SMLHT-KH-12-04, were the superior sunflower hybrids developed or identified by the Nimpith centre on basis of their performance in multilocation trial (MLT) and Station Hybrid Trial. The seed yield of the above said sunflower hybrids were recorded at par with the KBSH-44 but significantly higher oil yield (kg/ha) coupled with 7-10 days earliness and 30-50 cm shorter plant height at harvest as compared to other sunflower hybrids.