Effect of Various Levels of Potassium on the Growth and Yield of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

Abstract

Potassium is one of the major plant nutrients which play a key function in sunflower. It increases seed yield and enhances quality production. In (RCBD) Design was kept to determine influence of different potassium levels on the sunflower growth and seed yield. Experiment consists of six treatments of K levels repeated three times. The variety HO^-1 was treated with different K levels: 00, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 kg ha^-1. Experiment analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows significant difference (P<0.05) for all growth and yield characteristics due to treatments. Maximum plant population (9.9 m^-2), tallest plant (255.0 cm), maximum stem girth (12.2 cm), maximum head diameter (49.8 cm), maximum seeds head^-1  (2059.3 head^-1), maximum seed weight head^-1  (74.5 g), seed index (38.0 g) and maximum seed yield (2803.3 kg ha^-1) were recorded in K₆ where potassium was applied @ 100 kg ha^-1, followed by K₅ where potassium was applied @ 80 kg ha^-1 with (9.6 m^-2) maximum plant population, (253.3cm) tallest plant, (11.6 cm) maximum stem girth, (49.5 cm) maximum head diameter, (2055.0 head^-1) maximum seeds head^-1, (74.0 g) maximum seed weight head^-1, (36.3 g) seed index (2766.7 kg ha^-1) and maximum seed yield. However, K₁ 00 kg ha^-1 (control) shows that the lowest plant population (6.1m^-2), smallest plant (200 cm), minimum stem girth (6.3 cm), minimum head diameter (23.3 cm), minimum seeds head^-1 (1192.7 head^-1), minimum seed weight per head (35.0 g), seed index (23.0 g) and minimum seed yield (1870.0 kg ha^-1). It was also observed that sunflower performance was at par with T₆ and T₅. From the present study it is concluded that sunflower performed equally better at T₅ and T₆. Hence, for economic yield T₅ is recommended