Indian Journal of Agronomy

A field trial was conducted for 3 consecutive spring season from 2005–06 to 2007–08 on sandy loam soil to study the effect of irrigation and nutrients on productivity, profitability and water use efficiency of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) at Morena, Madhya Pradesh. Irrigation applied at 8 days interval significantly improved the plant height, leave/plant, head diameter, weight/head, seed weight/head, 1,000-seed weight, nutrient use (12.83 kg seed/kg nutrients), production efficiency (21.81 kg/ha/day), seed yield (1.86 t/ha), stalk yield (6.57 t/ha), N, P and K uptake, net profit (Rs 12,885/ha) and B:C ratio (1.85) and recorded 24.21% and 58.19% higher seed yield of sunflower over 12 and 16 days irrigation interval. However, maximum water use efficiency (65.45 kg/hacm) was obtained with 16 days irrigation interval. Similarly the nutrient treatment of 125% recommended dose of fertilizer, RDF (75-40-41.5 kg N-P-K/ha) recorded significantly higher water use efficiency, production efficiency, seed yield (1.76 t/ha), stalk yield (6.56 t/ha), N, P and K uptake, net income (Rs 11,784/ha) and B:C ratio (1.80) over other nutrient levels.