Response Of Two Hybrid Sunflower Genotypes To Applied Different Levels Of Soil Potassium.

Potassium (K) nutrition ensures optimum yield and quality of crops. This polyethylene bag study was conducted to evaluate the impacts of varying levels of K on the growth, yield and K accumulation of two sunflower hybrids. The experiment was conducted in a two factor randomized complete block design with three replications. Two sunflower hybrids (Hyson-33 and Hyson-39) were grown in main plots on five different rates of K (0, 30 through 120 kg ha-1). The soil of the experimental soil was a non-saline and alkaline heavy clay texture, low in organic matter but sufficient in K. It was observed that K application did not affect plant height (cm) of sunflower hybrids across genotypes, it significantly enhanced plant weight (g) (207%), number of leaves plant-1 (101%), stem diameter (mm) (207%), head diameter (mm) (215%), head length (cm) (150%), achene yield (g) (100%) and K accumulation (216%) at 120 kg K ha-1, as against its control (0 kg K ha-1). Across K application rates, sunflower hybrids significantly varied from each other for their different traits. As compared to Hyson-33, Hyson-39 had more plant weight 207%), number of leaves (96%), stem diameter (206%), head diameter (215%), head length (248%), and seed yield (110%). Contrarily, Hyson-33 accumulated more K (22%) than Hyson-39. Sunflower genotypes behaved differently at different K rates for their various traits, except for number of leaves and stem diameter. Biomass yield, head diameter, head length, head weight and seed yield were lowest in case of Hyson-33 at 0 kg K ha-1 while highest in case of Hyson-39 at 120 kg K ha-1. Moreover, K accumulation was lowest at 0 kg K ha-1 and highest at 120 kg K ha-1, in case of Hyson-39. This study concluded that the hybrid sunflower Hyson 39 should be cultivated with K application at 120 kg ha-1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]