RESPONSE OF SUNFLOWER TO DIFFERENT CROPPING PATTERNS AND N FERTILIZER RATES

Nawar, A.I.; Ibrahim, H.M.; Khalil, H.E.

doi:10.21608/mjppf.2016.176566

RESPONSE OF SUNFLOWER TO DIFFERENT CROPPING PATTERNS AND N FERTILIZER RATES

Document Type : original papers

Authors

¹ Crop Science Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Egypt

² Agriculture Research Center, Crop Intensification Dept. Egypt

10.21608/mjppf.2016.176566

Abstract

Sunflower response to four cropping systems and 30 (N₁), 45 (N₂) and 60 (N₃) kg N/fed. were studied at Agriculture Research Station, Alexandria University, Egypt, during 2013 and 2014 summer seasons. Cropping systems were sunflower relay-cropping into (Sun₁) or double cropping with faba bean (Sun₂), in addition to sunflower double cropping following fodder (Sun₃) and silage (Sun₄) maize crops. Responses of head and 100-seed weights, as well as seed yield/ fed and harvest index (HI) to cropping systems, were significant over the two seasons. The highest values of those traits were obtained from relay-cropped sunflower to faba bean (Sun₁), however, the lowest values resulted from sunflower sowing after silage maize (Sun₄), that was previously relay-cropped into faba bean. Differences in seed yield and HI, for the combined treatments, were significant, as indicated by crop systems*N levels interaction in both seasons. The highest values of the two traits were obtained from (Sun ₁) at 45 kg N /fed, whereas, the least values resulted from (Sun₄) at 15 kg N/fed. increasing the nitrogen level from 30 to 60 kg/ fed led to significant increases in plant height, head seed weight, seed yield/ fed and harvest index in both seasons. Response of head –seed and 100-seed weight, in addition to seed yield /fed. of sunflower, as N level was applied up to 45 kg N/fed. to nitrogen fertilization, was linear. Sunflower relay-cropping and growing of short season crops should be applied to enable farmers to plant more than two crops per year.

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