Impact of organic nutrient management on growth characteristics of hybrid sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) var. Kaveri Champ

As India’s sunflower production struggles to keep pace with rising consumption, enhancing crop productivity through sustainable practices becomes critical. Organic nutrient management offers a promising solution to this challenge, potentially improving yield while promoting environmental sustainability. Therefore, a field experiment was carried out in the Experimental farm, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Tamil Nadu, India in March 2024 to investigate the effects of organic nutrient management on the growth and yield attributes of hybrid sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design (RBD) comprised of nine treatments and replicated thrice. The study assesses the effects of various treatments, including a control; application of FYM @ 12.5 t/ha, vermicompost @ 2.5 t/ha, and press mud @ 10 t/ha, each combined with 50% RDF and Panchakavya @ 3% applied twice; as well as enriched FYM @ 7.5 t/ha, enriched vermicompost @ 1.75 t/ha, and enriched press mud @ 5 t/ha, each with 50% RDF and Panchakavya @ 3% applied twice. Additionally, the effects of 100% RDF with and without Panchakavya @ 3% applied twice are evaluated. Panchakavya is used at 30 and 45 days after sowing (DAS) where applicable. From the results, it was revealed that T6 - Enriched vermicompost @ 1.75 t/ha + 50% RDF + Panchakavya @ 3% (twice at 30 and 45 DAS) had significant effect on growth and yield attributes of hybrid sunflower.