Standardisation of agro-techniques for flower quality parameters in ornamental sunflower (Helianthus annus L.)

Abstract

An experiment was carried out on standardisation of agro-techniques for flower quality parameters in ornamental sunflower during 2012-13 at GKVK, campus, College of Horticulture, University of Horticultural Sciences, Bagalkot. In three way interaction effect longest stalk length (36.33) was in the treatment combination of mulching i.e M1 (with mulch) with a spacing of S1 (60 cm x 40 cm) at the fertilizer rate F1 (40:60:40 NPK kg ha-1). Stalk girth was maximum with mulching treatment of M1 (with mulch) at a spacing of S1 (60 cm x 40 cm) with the fertilizer rate of F3 (80:90:80 NPK kg ha-1) and without mulch at the spacing of S1 (60 cm x 40 cm) with fertilizer rate of F3 (80:90:80 NPK kg ha- 1) recording 0.49 and 0.46 cm respectively. Mulching i.e M1 (with mulch) at spacing S1 (60 cm x 40 cm) with fertilizer rate if F3 (80:90:80 NPK kg ha-1) produced plants with largest flower head diameter (13.24 cm). The treatment combinations of M1 (with mulch) + S1 (60 cm x 40 cm) + F3 (80:90:80 NPK kg ha-1) 4.65 cm recorded broadest flower disc diameter. Considering the results ornamental sunflower can be grown best without mulching, at a spacing of 60 x 30 cm or 60 x 40 cm with optimum to higher fertilizer dose to give best flower quality in ornamental sunflower.

Keywords

• Ornamental sunflower
• mulching, spacing
• fertilizers
• quality