Nitrogen deficiency can severely limit sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) grain yield and quality. Our objective was to evaluate N diagnosis methods based on: (a) preplant soil nitrate-nitrogen (NO 3 --N) test (PPSNT) and soil N mineralized in shortterm anaerobic incubation (Nan), (b) Greenness index (G I ) and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) measured at 6 (V 6 ) and 12 (V 12 ) leaves, and (c) grain nitrogen concentration (N c ). Seventeen experiments were carried out between 2010 and 2019 in Argentina, evaluating nine N rates (0, 30, 40, 60, 80, 90, 120, 150, and 160 kg N ha -1 ). The G I , NDVI, N sufficiency index and relative normalized difference vegetation index (NDVIr) were determined at V 6 and V 12 growth stages. On average, yield response to N was 492 kg ha -1 and N c response was 0.25% in 9 and 11 responsive experiments, respectively. The inclusion of Nan improved the PPSNT diagnosis method. The critical N availability (PPSNT + fertilizer N) threshold was 115 kg N ha -1 for experiments with low Nan (<60 mg kg -1 ), and 90 kg N ha -1 for experiments with high Nan (>60 mg kg -1 ). The NDVIr at V 12 allowed monitoring the crop N status with a 0.95 critical threshold. The N c adequately diagnosed N deficiencies and the critical threshold was 2.26%. Also, N c was predicted from the ratio between N availability and grain yield (R 2 = .39). Our results would allow to better estimate N availability to recommend adequate N fertilizer rates for sunflower aiming to optimize grain yield and quality, and minimize the economic and environmental cost of fertilization.