Influence of biological products on the productivity of high oleic sunflower hybrids

Abstract

The study's objective was to evaluate the efficacy of biological substances in enhancing the growth, development, and productivity of high-oleic sunflower hybrids, aiming to increase seed yields and improve oil quality. An investigation was carried out in the Mykolaiv region throughout 2021-2023 to assess the efficacy of seven different foliar feeding methods in producing five high-oleic sunflower hybrids. The findings indicated that the application of foliar feeding had a beneficial impact on the measured variables, such as plant height, leaf area, seed count per boll, seed yield, and oil and oleic acid concentration in seeds. In particular, the P64HE133 hybrid demonstrated the highest average yield of 3.89 t/ha, followed by Columbi with 3.69 t/ha, with no statistically significant difference between them. Foliar application of Organic-Balance helped to increase the average seed yield to 3.58 t/ha, exceeding the results of other types of spraying. The use of biological products contributed to an increase in yield by 0.21-0.4 t/ha compared to control, as well as an increase in oil content by 0.6-2.1-5.3%. The overall impact of the combination of hybrid and foliar feeding methods on yield was the largest, amounting to 63.5%, where the impact of hybrid selection was 27.4%, foliar feeding – was 5.4%, and other factors had an impact of 3.7%. The findings suggest that the use of foliar feeding can significantly enhance productivity and enhance the quality attributes of sunflower seeds. The utilisation of these biological substances not only enhances seed production and oil content but also promotes more sustainable and robust plant development. Accordingly, the integration of such methods into agronomic practices can significantly improve crop productivity and increase the economic benefits of growing high-yielding sunflower hybrids