Author(s):

Kalaiyarasan C, J Jayaraman, S Jawahar, MV Sriramachandrasekharan, and K Suseendran

Abstract: Field investigations were carried out during March 2012 and August 2012 at Experimental Farm, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, to study the effect of integrated sulphur management practices on the growth, yield, quality, nutrient uptake and nutrient availability of hybrid sunflower cv. Sun bred. The experiments were laid out in randomized block design and replicated thrice. The experiment consisted of eleven treatments viz., T₁ – No sulphur / RDF alone (control), T₂–45kg S ha^-1 through gypsum, T₃-45kg S ha^-1 through vermicompost, T₄ - 45 kg S ha^-1 through poultry manure, T₅-45kg S ha^-1 through lignite fly ash. T₆ - 75 % S ha^-1 through gypsum+25 % S ha^-1 through vermicompost, T₇-75 % S ha^-1 through gypsum + 25 % S ha^-1 through poultry manure, T₈-75 % S ha^-1 through gypsum + 25 % S ha^-1 through lignite fly ash, T₉ – 50 % S ha^-1 through gypsum+50 % S ha^-1 through vermicompost, T₁₀–50% S ha^-1 through gypsum + 50% S ha^-1 through poultry manure and T₁₁- 50% S ha^-1 through gypsum + 50 % S ha^-1 through lignite fly ash. The results of the experiments revealed that application of 75 % S ha^-1 through gypsum + 25 % S ha^-1 through vermicompost (T₆) significantly influenced the growth, yield, quality, nutrient uptake and nutrient availability in sunflower. This treatment recorded maximum values for growth attributes viz., plant height (152.37 and 154.38 cm), LAI (6.90 and 6.97 cm at flowering stage), DMP (4225.72 and 4328.81 kg ha^-1) and CGR (10.68 and 11.75 g m-2 day^-1) at harvest stage, chlorophyll content (2.28 and 2.31 mg g^-1) at flowering during first and second croop, respectively. This treatment also recorded higher values for yield attributes viz., total number of seeds head^-1 (778.06 and 815.26), number of filled deeds head^-1 (634.45 and 672.28), seed filling percent (83.04 and 84.26 %), seed yield (1825.46 and 1927.39 kg ha^-1) and stalk yield (3800.63 and 3898.59 kg ha^-1) in both the crops. This treatment recorded maximum N, P, K and S uptake, maximum oil content, oil yield, crude protein content and Sulphur Use Efficiency in both the crops. This was followed by T₇ (75 % S ha-1 through gypsum + 25 % S ha^-1 through poultry manure) in both the crops. The lowest values for growth, yield, quality, nutrient uptake and nutrient availability were recorded in T₁-No sulphur/RDF alone (control) in both the crops. T₁ recorded Maximum N, P, K and S availability in both the crops.

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