Abstract

                                The present study aimed to assess the high-yielding sunflower hybrids responding to various fertilizer levels. The experiment was conducted . with treatments that includes five genotypes in factor A (H1: COH 3, H2: DRSH-1, H3: KBSH-74, H4: KBSH-44, and H5: CO 2) and three fertilizer levels in factor B (F1: 50 percent RDF, F2: 100 percent RDF and F3: 150 percent RDF) in a three replications factorial randomized block design The study revealed that plant height and days to maturity of sunflower showed significant differences among the hybrids and different levels of fertilizer. Days to 50 per cent flowering significantly differed among the hybrids and not by the NPK level. The newly developed sunflower hybrid COH 3 recorded a higher yield (2194 kg ha-1) with high oil content (39.8 percent) and oil yield of 875 kg ha-1. Hybrid COH 3 registered a higher gross return of Rs. 70,208/- per ha with a net return of Rs.28,202/- and a cost-benefit ratio of 1.60. Among fertilizer levels, the 150 percent RDF recorded the highest yield, which was on par with the 100 per cent RDF. In monetary terms, rupee return per rupee investment was greater than 100 percent. As a result, in the Tamil Nadu region, sunflower hybrid COH 3 cultivation with 100% fertilizer, i.e., 60:90:60 kg NPK ha-1, was shown to be economical with better oil yields.

Key words : Sunflower; COH 3; Fertilizer; Yield; Oil content