Organic cultivation of Sunflower

          Today we will discuss about Sunflower.

       It is an important oilseeds plants. It has been introduced in 1969 as an oilseed. It can be cultivated more in a small area that's why it has been popular in Harayana nowadays. It is fast developing crop. It can bear dry weather as well as cold weather. It can be cultivated in Rabi as well as Kharif season and as Zaid crop. But for the Northern India the most appropriate season is Zaid as in this season proper amount of bees are seen which are useful for it's production. Vanaspati ghee made from it's oil is helpful in many dieseas.

                       Preparation of farm.

For a good production the soil should have a good moisture content and it's particles should be free, for this irrigation the farm and 1st ploughing should be done using soil-twisting and 2nd ploughing should be done using disk harrow or simple plough.

               

                     Time for harvesting.

The most suitable time for it's harvesting is from 15th January- 15 February and it should be kept in mind that the temperature should not be much be lower.

                        Amount of seeds.

Generally, for 1 acre approximate 4 kg of seeds are required. If the seeds are of good quality then 2.5 kg of it is enough for 1 acre of land.

     Seed treatment and methods of harvesting.

For it's seeds to get germinate faster, the seeds are moisture with water and to prevent disease in the seeds it should be treated with Captan, Thirram and Carbondiegine. Generally, for it's cultivation the row -row distance should be upto 45-60cm and plant-plant distance should be 25-30cm. Sow the seeds to upto 3-4 cm deep according to the moisture of the soil. For more Production the plants should be harvested on beds 6-7cm deep holes should be embedded in the holes and then the seeds should be harvested.

                    Manures and fertilizers.

Amount of manures and fertilizer depends on the type of soil in which it is being cultivated. Generally, 24 kg of Nitrogen, 16kg of Phosphate or 90kg Urea should be used in 1acre of land. Full (90kg) phosphate and half of the Nitrogen should be added during the 1st irrigation. If soil has less quantity of potash then 12kg of potash should be added to 1acre of land during harvesting of seeds. If the farm has less quantity of Zinc it should be added at the rate of 10kg/acre of land by mixing it with water and should be sprinkle over the plants.

                              Irrigation.

After 3-4 week of harvesting of seeds, there is need of tilling of the land twice. To maintain moisture of the land and for better production it requires upto 4-6 times of irrigation. 1st irrigation should be done after 30-35 days of harvesting of crops and after the interval of 12-15 days it should be irrigated by the use of irrigation ditches, it maintains the moisture and also saves water.

                    

                          Covering of soil.

 To prevent the plants from falling we should cover the below most part of  the plant when it grows upto 60-70cm in length.

    

                         Weeds control.

After 2-3weeks of harvesting 1st tilling should be done by using bladeho. 2nd tilling should be done after 3weeks of 1st tilling. 1kg of pandimathliene should be mixed in 150-200 litres of water and should be added at the rate of per acre and this should be keep in mind that there in moisture it.

                  Disease and it's prevention.

1. Altneria blight.

 Black spots and eggs- shaped spots are seen in this disease. Gradually, this spots grow bigger in size, it forms rings and at the last leaves dry out and fell down. For it's prevention we should be use 0.2% solution of diethene M45 should be sprinkle over the plants.

2. Flower rottening.

 This starts from the black portion of the flower at the time of formation of graules. In this brownish spots is observed and gradually it's increase all over the flower and at the end of flowers rot upto fell down. For it's prevention we should use 0.2% solution of Diethene M45 should be sprinkle over the plant.

3. Root and stem rottening.

 In this brownish spots can be seen on the stem near the soil and it gradually increase all over the stem and this make the stem black and hence the plants dries up, this can be seen at the time of blooming of flowers. For it's prevention we should use Thyrum at the rate of 3gm/kg of seeds.

                  Importance of its cultivation.

 It's stem, seeds oil and bark are of economical importance. It seeds has 35-45% of oil in them add it is also cholesterol free which is very good for heart patients and it is easily digestible.

                        Cutting of crops.

When it flowers turns into yellow then the crops are ready for cutting. After cutting the crops should be dried up in the sunlight. Every plants do not get ready at the same time so cut the crops in the interval of 2-3 days. Let the crops dry untila they remain with a very low moisture in them.