Effect of Bio-fertilizer and Seasonality on Growth, Yield and Quality of Two Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Hybrids at Shambat, Sudan

Abstract

A field experiment and quality was conducted on a silty loam soil located at Demonstration Farm of the College of Agricultural Studies, Sudan University of Science and Technology at Shambat, Sudan, during two growing summer and winter seasons of 2011/2012 to study the effect of bio-fertilizers on growth, yield of two hybrids of sunflower. The effect of bio-fertilizers on the soil were also determined. The bio-fertilizer levels were (Zero, 06.25, 12.5, 18.75 and 25.00 L/Ha) corresponding to F1, F2, F3,F4 and F5 treatments while the two sunflower hybrids are hysun-33 (V1) and Shambat (V2). The results showed that, means of growth parameters (plant height, leaf area index and stem diameter), were higher in hysun-33 than Shambat while reverse trend was observed in case of number of seeds per head and oil content. Also, stem diameter, LAI, number of seeds per head, seeds oil content were highly influenced by bio-fertilizer application and interaction treatments. The highest, LA and stem diameter were recorded in F3× V1 treatment, while the highest seeds oil content was achieved by F4×V1 treatment. Application of F3 dose of bio- fertilizer showed major influencing factor in the most of yield attributes in summer season. Moreover, the bio-fertilizer (F4 and F5) treatments increased most of the soil properties characters (Ca, N%, ESC, pH and soil traits) particularly with Shambat hybrid. In conclusion, under conditions of this investigation, application of bio-fertilizer at rate of 18.75L/ha to Shambat hybrid sunflower could be recommended for increasing seed yield and oil % in sunflower plant. The does of liquid bio fertilizer were added with every watering intervals, which conducted ten times per season. The experiment was arranged in split-plot based on a randomized complete block design with four replications. The main plots were allotted for the two sunflower hybrids, Hysun33 (V1) and Shambat (V2). While the subplots for bio-fertilizer treatments.