IMPACT OF INTEGRATION OF CROP MANURING AND NITROGEN APPLICATION ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF SPRING PLANTED SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L.)

Studies were carried out during 2004 and 2005 to assess the comparative productivity of sunflower to integration of crop manuring and nitrogen application. Integration of organic and inorganic fertilizers comprised of treatments control (no fertilizer), farm yard manure at 20 t ha -1 , poultry manure at 8 t ha -1 , 100-75-50 NPK kg ha -1 , farm yard manure (20 t ha -1 ) + 25-75-50 NPK kg ha -1 , farm yard manure (20 t ha -1 ) + 50-75-50 NPK kg ha -1 , farm yard manure (20 t ha -1 ) + 7575-50 NPK kg ha -1 , farm yard manure (20 t ha -1 )+100-75-50 NPK kg ha -1 , poultry manure (8 t ha -1 ) +25-75-50 NPK kg ha -1 , poultry manure (8 t ha -1 ) + 50-75-50 NPK kg ha -1 , poultry manure (8 t ha 1 ) + 75-75-50 NPK kg ha -1 and poultry manure (8 t ha -1 ) + 100-75-50 NPK kg ha -1 . Maximum achene yields of 2895 kg ha -1 and 2792 kg ha -1 were obtained with the treatment of 50-75-50 NPK kg ha -1 + PM at 8 t ha -1 during both years, respectively. Inorganic fertilizers 100-75-50 NPK kg ha -1 produced relatively more achene yield than organic manures (FYM at 20 t ha -1 and PM at 8 t ha -1 ) and poultry manure gave higher yield than farm yard manure. The mean crop growth rate of 28.92 and 27.90 g m -2 day -1 and mean net assimilation rate of 9.75 and 9.51 g m -2 day -1 gave significantly highest values in the same treatment having positive correlation with achene yield. All the quality traits were significantly affected by the various combinations of organic and inorganic fertilizers.