Seed and Oil Yield Productivity of Sunflower ( Helienthus annus L.) Hybrid Varieties in Different States of India

The Field trials on sunlower crop were conducted in different in states of India during the year from 2005-6 to 2006-7. The Regional Station Fof Fodder Production Demonstration,Government of India, Department of Animal Husbandry Dairying Fishries provided all inputs to conduct the tirals in the area under their juridiction to evaluate the suitable hybrids varieties of sunlower crop, their optimum sowing season,numbers of irrigations vs rainfed conditions of cultivation including other agronomic package of practices. Government of India has strong feed and fodder development organization. There are several centrally sponsered schems like estabishment of fodder banks, development of forage crops through biotechnology research, minikits distribution in the country. Central government distributed latest variety seeds in the country to a tune of cost of Rs 7.00 crores through eight Regional Station for Fodder Production and Demonstrations. The sunflower is a multi purose crop and may be good source of animal feeds as an un-conventional feed resource. Sunflower can be grown with forage crops also. RSFPDs organised sunflower trials in different states to evaluate sunflower production in northern and southern parts of India. The varieties and hybrids released by AICRP (Sunflower) for different regions were selected for field trials. India has tropical and subtropical climate from south to north, respectively. Tamilnadu and Maharastra face the tropical while, Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh experience a sub-tropical type of climate having February and March as spring season in northen India. All India released hybrid varieties PSFH-118 and HSFH-848 were grown at Ludhiana, Punjab and Hisar in Hariyana under irrigated conditions. Hybrid vaiety HSFH-848 performed better with seed yield (1712.3 kg/ha) than PSFH-118 1635.5 kg/ha. Data shows that oil content (38.6%) was higher in the seeds of cultivar HSFH-848. Maximum plant hieght (165.4 cm) and head diameter (16.2 cm) were found higher in the variety HSFH-848 at Hisar. Hybrids namely TCSH-1, LSFH-35, RSFH-1 (Tunga), NDSH-1 were grown at Alamadi (TN), Gunegal (A.P.), Akola (M.H.), Hesarghatta (KA) on government farms under irriagated conditions during 2005-6-2006-7. Sunflower hybrid produced maximum oil content/yield was recorded 40.8% NDSH-1 in southern India. Sunflower hybrids RSFH-1 and LSFH-35 has higher productivity under irrigated conditions in tropical climate.


Introduction
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an important oilseed crop in India popularly known as "Surajmukhi."The name "Helianthus" is derived from 'Helios' meaning 'sun' and 'anthos' meaning 'flower'.It is known as sunflower as it follows the sun by day, always turning towards its direct rays.It is one of the fastest growing oilseed crops in India.In early 1970s, only about 0.1 million hectares were under sunflower cultivation, however by 2002-03, it had gone upto 1.63 million hectares.In India, it was used mainly as ornamental crop but in recent past it became an important source of edible and nutritious oil.Sunflower is a major source of vegetable oil in the world.It is used for a variety of cooking purposes (Singh et al., 1987).Sunflower seed contains about 48-53 percent edible oil.The sunflower oil is considered premium compared to other vegetable oil as it is light yellow in colour, high level of linoleic acid and absence of linolenic acid, possesses good flavour and high smoke point.Sunflower oil is a rich source (64 percent) of linoleic acid which is good for heart patients.Linoleic acid helps in washing out cholesterol deposition in the coronary arteries of the heart.The oil is also used for manufacturing hydrogenated oil.Sunflower is also a source of lecithin, tocopherols and furfural.It is used as nutritious meal for birds and animals.It is also used in the preparation of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals (Singh et al., 1995) grown all over the world is originated from former USSR.In India, sunflower as an oilseed crop introduced in 1969.
Sunflower seeds are one of the most nutritious and healthy foods.Sunflower is described as "drenched with sun-vitality" because the head follows the sun, ending up facing the west "to absorb the few last rays of the dying sun".India is one of the largest producers of oilseed crop in the world.Oilseeds occupy an important position in the Indian agricultural economy.Our country accounted for 4.77 percent (1250 thousand MT) of total world production of sunflower in 2004.Due to source of high quality edible oil, sunflower oil is used as cooking oil in different recepies.It's importance increases as sunflower oil is considered as a heart friendly oil.Besides oil, almost every part of sunflower has commercial value.It is used in the manufacturing paints, resins, plastics, soap, cosmetics and many other industrial products.Sunflower as an oilseed is a newly introduced crop in the country.This crop has gained importance due to its short duration of maturity, containing of excellent quality of oil, photo-insensitivity, wide adaptability into different kinds of cropping pattern, high-energy hull and drought tolerance.It is a short duration crop and can be incorporated in different type of cropping pattern.Sunflower is grown as inter cropping with crops such as Groundnut, Pigeonpea, Castor, Soybean and Urd bean.Since it is a photo-insensitive crop, it can be grown throughout the year.Oil cake is rich in high quality protein (40-44 percent) and used as cattle and poultry feed.This crop is considered valuable from economic as well as ornamental point of view.

Pantnagar location (UA):
The sunflower trails were raised as per recommended agronomic package of practices.Treatments were followed as per the technical programme.

Effect of Hybrids under Irrigated and Rainfed Conditions
Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) belongs to the family Compositae.It is an annual, erect and herbacious plant with leaves simple, alternate with stout petioles and lanceolate in shape.Leaves are rough on both surfaces.A single head produces 350 to 2000 seeds.Seeds are pointed at base and round at end.Colour of the seed varies from black to white but brown, striped or, mottled seed may also occur.

Conclusion
It is concluded that DRSF-108 produced higher seed yield under irrigated conditions and under rainfed conditions GAUSUF-15 performed better at pantnagar.COSFV-5 may be recommended for better seed yield under irrigated and rainfed conditions.Hybrid sunflower RSFH-1 found suitble at different locations under irrigated conditions in rabi season.During spring season HSFH-848 hybrid sunflower produced more yield at Hisar in northern India, where spring winters-summer season February-March is observed.