IMPACT OF FOLIAR APPLIED ZINC SULPHATE ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF SUNFLOWER.

A field experiment was conducted to study the impact of foliar application of zinc sulphate on growth, yield and quality of sunflower at Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan, during spring season 2011. The experiment was comprised of the treatments i.e. control, where no water and zinc sprayed (T1), water spray at bud initiation stage (T2), 0.5 % ZnSO4 spray at bud initiation stage (T3), 1 % ZnSO4 spray at bud initiation stage (T4), water spray at flower opening stage (T5), 0.5 % ZnSO4 spray at flower opening stage (T6), 1 % ZnSO4 spray at flower opening stage (T7), water spray at achene filling stage (T8), 0.5 % ZnSO4 spray at achene filling stage (T9), 1 % ZnSO4 spray at achene filling stage (T10). Result revealed that plant height, head diameter, 1000-achene weight, achene yield, biological yield, achene oil contents and achene oil yield were significantly improved with ZnSO4 foliar application over control. Foliar application of 1% ZnSO4 spray at bud initiation stage (T4) registered the highest value for plant height and biological yield. Whereas, maximum head diameter, number of achenes per head, 1000-achene weight, achene yield and oil yield were obtained when 1 % ZnSO4 spray at flower opening stage (T7) was applied. The highest oil contents were produced when 0.5% ZnSO4 spray at flower opening stage (T6) was applied. Foliar applications of ZnSO4 have no significant effect on achene protein contents. For obtaining high oil yield and oil contents 1% & 0.5% ZnSO4 spray at flower opening stage respectively, must be applied on sunflower crop under the irrigated condition of Faisalabad.