Soil moisture status and foliar nutrition on growth, yield, quality and economics of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in Vertisol of N-E Karnataka

Field study was conducted during 2017 and 2018 in Vertisol, Raichur Karnataka to evaluate the performance of sunflower by foliar application of different sources of nutrients. Treatments consists of growing environments rainfed and irrigated system with foliar application of urea spray @ 2% DAP @1% ZnSO4 @ 0.5% 19:19:19 @ 1% Borax @ 0.2%, cattle urine @5% compared with water spray at 45 and 60 DAS. Pooled results indicated that foliar application of NPK fertilizer through 19:19:19 @1% has resulted 29.9 % and 13.0% greater grain yield compared to water spray and urea spray @ 2%. It also resulted greater head diameter, 100 seed weight, oil content and oil yield compared to other types of foliar spray. Whereas, irrigated sunflower has produced 18.8 % (1167 kg/ha) higher grain yield and 19.7 % (431 kg/ha) oil yield than rainfed crop. Economics returns has indicated that irrigated sunflower along with foliar application of 19:19:19 @ 1% gave higher gross returns and B:C ratio over rest of the treatment combinations. Results of the study was inferred that yield and economics weer enhanced by foliar application of 19:19:19 @ 1% at 45 and 60 DAS for irrigated sunflower in Vertisol.