The effects of different sowing date and intra-row spacing on oil rate, yield and yield components of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

The study was carried out to determine the effects of different sowing time and inter row spacing on plant characteristics, seed and crude oil yield of hybrid sunflower cultivar in 2013. The trial was conducted using a randomized complete block as a split plot design with three replicates in Kırşehir Ahi Evran University trial fields. The field trials were included three sowing times (01 April, 15 April and 30 April) were placed on the main plots by 15 days intervals, and four intra row spaces (20, 30, 40 and 50 cm) were placed randomly on the split plot. In the study, flowering date, maturity date, plant height, head diameter, 1000 seed weight, kernel-hull ratio, harvest index, plant yield, seed yield, crude oil content, protein content and oil yield were investigated. As a result of the study, early sowing time (April 1) had the highest thousand grain weight (51.63 g), crude oil content (51.63%), harvest index (68.99%) and kernel rate (69.61%) while the second planting date on April 15 planting had the highest table diameter (13.80 cm), plant grain yield (27.04 g), grain yield (123.00 kg/da) and oil yield (60.99 kg/da). Narrowing the intra row spacing cause to increase in plant population which led to a significant increase plant height (94.18 cm), oil ratio (51.07%), yield (130.30 kg/da) and crude oil yield (66.27 kg/da). It was concluded that the highest seed yield (174.91 kg/da) and crude oil yield (89.50 kg/da) were determined from 15 April sowing and 20 cm inter row spacing. So second week of April sowing and 20 cm intra row space should be recommended for similar conditions of Kırşehir ecology.