EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND IRRIGATION ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS-ANNUUS) UNDER MIDHILL CONDITIONS OF HIMACHAL-PRADESH

A field experiment was conducted during the spring seasons of 1988 and 1989 to study the effect of 3 levels of nitrogen and 4 levels of irrigation on the growth and yield of sunflower (Helianthus annuum L). Various growth attributes, viz. plant height, leaf-area index and number of functional leaves, and grain yield (q/ha) increased significantly and linearly up to 120 kg N/ha. There was a significant influence on the growth and yield attributes and grain yield/ha due to an intensive irrigation schedule of IW : CPE ratio of 0.9 over rainfed, 0.3 and 0.6 IW : CPE ratios of low intensive moisture regime of sunflower crop.