EFFECT OF SULPHUR AND ZINC ON GROWTH, YIELD, ECONOMICS OF HYBRID SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L.) AND SOIL FERTILITY IN ALFISOL OF TAMIRAPARANI TRACT

V.R. SENTHAMIZHKUMARAN¹, M. PARAMASIVAN²*, N. SENTHIL KUMAR³, V. ARUN KUMAR^4
1Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, 628252, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
²Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, 628252, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
³Department of Agronomy, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, 628252, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
⁴Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, 628252, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
* Corresponding Author : paramusoil@gmail.com

Received : 10-11-2018     Accepted : 27-11-2018     Published : 30-11-2018
Volume : 10     Issue : 22       Pages : 7532 - 7534
Int J Agr Sci 10.22 (2018):7532-7534

Keywords : Alfisol, Hybrid Sunflower, Seed yield, Available nutrients and Economics
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors are thankful to Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, 628252, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, 641003, Tamil Nadu, India
Author Contribution : All authors equally contributed

Field experiment was conducted at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam during Rabi season (November- February) of 2016­2017 to study the response of sulphur and zinc on yield and quality of hybrid sunflower variety CO2 in an Alfisol of Tamiraparani tract. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (RBD) replicated thrice with eight treatments. Application of recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) as 60:90:60 kg of NPK ha-1+ S @ 25 kg ha-1 + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1(T2) produced significantly tallest plant (170.6 cm), days to 50 % flowering (51), largest size of capitulam (20.1 cm), highest number of seed capitulam-1 (1013), maximum weight of capitulam (73.1 g), hundred seeds weight (5.7 g), seed yield (2101 kg ha-1) and stover yield (6523 kg ha-1), net return ( 82,159 ha-1) and B:C ratio (3.39). However, the RDF as 60:90:60 kg of NPK ha-1+ ZnSO4 @ 37.5 kg ha-1 + S @ 0.2 % foliar spray (T8) registered taller plant, days to 50 % flowering, larger size of capitulam, higher number of seed capitulam-1, weight of capitulam, hundred seeds weight, seed yield and stover yield and B:C ratio. Significant built up of organic carbon (0.65%), available N (241kg ha-1), available P (17.9 kg ha-1) and available K (265.7kg ha-1) were also registered with the application of RDF as 60:90:60 kg of NPK ha-1+ S @ 25 kg ha-1 + ZnSO4 @ 25 kg ha-1.

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