Effect of Fertility Levels and Cytokinin on Growth and Yield of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

The field experiment was carried out at Campus Farm, M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha during summer season, 2019. The soil in field was clay loam in texture, slightly acidic in reaction (pH 6.5), low in organic carbon (0.57 %) and available nitrogen (176 kg ha(-1)), medium in available phosphorus (38.49 kg ha(-1)) and sulphur (29.52 kg ha(-1)) and high in available potassium (340.0 kg ha(-1)). The field experiment was laid out in factorial randomised complete block design with three replications and twelve treatments combination consisted of two factors including factor A (Nutrient management levels) and factor B (Cytokinin levels). The nutrient management treatments for factor A were 100% recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF) i.e. 80:60:40 kg of N: P2O5: K2O ha(-1), 100% RDF + Azotobacter @ 5 kg ha(-1), 100% RDF + Azotobacter @ 5 kg ha(-1) + S @ 30 kg ha(-1), 125% RDF i.e. 100:75:50 kg of N: P2O5: K2O ha(-1), 125% RDF + Azotobacter @ 5 kg ha(-1), 125,% RDF + Azotobacter @ 5 kg ha(-1) + S @ 30 kg ha(-1). The cytokinin levels included in factor B were cytokinin 50 ppm and no cytokinin. The nutrient management treatments and cytokinin significantly influenced the crop growth parameters in terms of plant height, basal stem girth, number of leaves plant(-1), dry weight of plant, leaf area index and seed yield. The interaction effect of nutrient management treatments with cytokinin was found positive with respect to seed yield. The crop growth parameters like plant height (151.70 cm), basal stem girth (9.79 cm), number of leaves plant(-1) (13.93), leaf area index (1.70) and dry matter production (595.08 g m-2) and seed yield (2.43 t ha(-1)) were obtained from 125% RDF of NPK + Azotobacter @ 5 kg ha(-1) + S @ 30 kg ha(-1). The corresponding values with application of cytokinin 50 ppm were 145.91cm, 9.44 cm, 13.52, 1.58 and 587.82 g m-2), respectively and seed yield (2.36 t ha(-1)). The combination of 125% RDF of NPK + Azotobacter @ 5 kg ha(-1) + S @ 30 kg ha(-1) with cytokinin 50 ppm found in increasing the seed yield (2.77 t ha(-1)) which recommended as suitable production technology for sunflower cultivation under South Odisha condition.