Response of sulphur and boron on growth, yield and economics of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

Abstract

A field Experiment was conducted during kharif 2019 at Central Crop Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, SHUATS, Prayagraj (U.P.).The soil of experimental plot was sandy loam in texture, nearly neutral in soil reaction (pH 7.2), available N (238 kg/ha), available P (32.10 kg/ha) and available K (189 kg/ha). The treatment consists of 2 levels of Sulphur (30 kg/ha) and (50 kg/ha) and 2 application methods of Boron as soil application (1 kg/ha) and as foliar application (0.2% boron spray) at ray floret stage, whose effect was observed on sunflower. There were 9 treatments each replicated thrice. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design. The results showed that growth parameters viz. Plant height (145.69 cm) at 60 DAS, Number of leaves per plant (23.20) at 60 DAS, were recorded significantly higher in (50 kg/ha Sulphur + 1 kg/ha Boron). Maximum stem girth (3.06 cm) at 60 DAS was recorded in (50 kg/ha Sulphur + 0.2% spray Boron) The Yield parameters viz. Number of filled seeds per capitulum (367.86), Number of unfilled seeds per capitulum (16.37), test weight (40.52 g), seed yield (1476.71 kg/ha), Economics of treatments viz. Gross returns (149257 ₹/ha), Net returns (94021 ₹/ha) and BC ratio (2.70) were recorded were recorded significantly higher with application of (50 kg/ha Sulphur + 0.2% Boron spray).