Effect of planting pattern and N splits on yield attributes, yield and quality of rainfed sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

Field experiments were conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India during the North East Monsoon (October-December) seasons of 1997 and 1998 in a split plot design to study the effect of planting pattern and N splits on the yield attributes, yield and quality of rainfed sunflower. The main plot consisted of three plant populations (133,333 plants ha-1, 111,111 plants ha-1 and 88,888 plants ha-1) and the sub-plot treatments of six N split levels. The results revealed that the yield attributes of sunflower were higher at the closest spacing of 30 × 25 cm than at the widest spacing of 30 × 37.5 cm. The seed yield was higher at closer (30 × 25 cm) spacing in 1997 and at wider spacing (30 × 37.5 cm) in 1998. In both years the split application of nitrogen resulted in higher growth, yield attributes, seed yield and quality parameters when compared to full basal application.