Combined Foliage Application of Zinc and Boron Improves Achene Yield, Oil Quality and Net Returns in Sunflower Hybrids Under an Arid Climate

Abstract

The deficiency of micronutrients is one of the main reason for low seed yield in oilseed crops in many developing countries including Pakistan. Therefore, this two-year field study was conducted to assess the influence of foliage applied micronutrients (individual/or in combination) on the yield and quality of sunflower hybrids. For this study, we hypothesized that foliage application of micronutrients will improve achene yield, oil quality and net returns in sunflower hybrids. The results indicated that sunflower hybrid 'Parsun' produced the higher head diameter, and had more 1000-achene weight, achene yield, oil content, stearic acid, palmitic acid and linolenic acid as compared to 'FMC-1'. Likewise the tallest plants, greater number of leaves, maximum seed weight, the highest achene yield, and oil content were noted with the combined application of Zn+B. Highest achene yield with combined application of Zn+B also resulted in highest net income. The application of micronutrient also improved the oil content and oil quality. In conclusion, the hybrid 'Parsun' should be grown with the application of Zn+B (10 and 2 kg ha -1 respectively) to achieve higher achene yield, better seed quality and to earn higher net benefits in sunflower hybrids under arid climate of Layyah Punjab, Pakistan.

EFFECTS OF PLANT DENSITY ON MICRONUTRIENT UPTAKE IN SUNFLOWER (Helianthus annuus L.) VARIETIES

“…Micronutrients have significant role on the growth, photosynthesis translocation, seed formation, pollen grain germination, protein and amino acid synthesis, stigma receptivity of oil seed crops. Consequently, micronutrients increase yield and quality in oilseeds (Sher et al 2021). As a micro nutrient, zinc (Zn) is an essential element for hormone stimulation, chlorophyll formation, protein mechanism, lipid metabolism, carbohydrate synthesis an activity of enzymes.…”

Agronomic Seed Production and Oil Quality Evaluation of Various Brassica Species Grown Under Semi-Arid Climatic Condition

“…There are a lot of aspects which can be analyzed for promoting the domestic edible oil production and supply. One the of the essential is the cultivation of good quality genotype with high yield potential and ability may improve the yield of the crop (Sher et al, 2021;Zhang et al, 2017;Aktar et al, 2019). Rapeseed genotypes being high oil percentage and yield has the potential to a fill the difference among domestic production and utilization.…”

Nutritional effect of zinc and boron on growth, yield and oil content of hybrid sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

“…Nevertheless in the current exploitive agriculture, large-scale production improvements have also been observed with the application of micronutrients in combination with NPK (Rego et al, 2007). Boron plays a vital role in hormonal development, cell division, fruit and seed setting, sugar translocation of crops (Ahmad et al, 2021). Deficiency of B in sunflower cause pollen tube deformation resulting in increased empty seeds in sunflower on the other hand, zinc is essential for a variety of physiological and metabolic activities in plants.…”