Planting Geometry and Nutrient Management on Productivity and Quality of Rainfed Sunflower in Deep Vertisol of Northern Karnataka, India

Maintenance of optimum population and balanced fertilizer application are most critical to achieve greater productivity of sunflower under rain-fed condition. Experiment was conducted during Kharif 2015, 2016 and 2017 to know the response of rainfed sunflower by varying planting geometry and fertilizer levels under different land configurations. Results showed 31.7% higher seed yield by seeds planting on ridges and furrows at 60 cm x 30 cm over flatbed sowing at 60 cm x 30 cm. Further, yield improvement upto 20.9% was observed by application of additional 50% RDF as compared to 75% RDF. However, application of 125% RDF was found on par with the application of RDF. Economic returns in terms of gross returns (Rs. 63539/ha), net returns (Rs. 37601/ha) and B:C ratio (2.48) was higher from ridge and furrow sowing at 60 cm x 30 cm followed by broad bed and furrow with paired row planting at 45 cm x 40 cm. Among fertilizer levels, application of 125% RDF recorded higher monetary returns and B: C ratio comparable with application of 100% RDF. Results confirmed that sunflower planted on ridges and furrows at 60 cm x 30 cm was found to enhance yield and economics than existing traditional method of flatbed sowing at 60 cm x 30 cm spacing. Further, sunflower yield improvement was also observed by application of graded fertilizers of 25% higher than existing recommendations.