Physiological and Agronomic Implications of Foliar Potassium Application on Sunflower Productivity in Calcareous Soils
Physiological and Agronomic Implications of Foliar Potassium Application on Sunflower Productivity in Calcareous Soils
Abdul Aleem Memon1*, Inayatullah Rajpar2, Ghulam Murtaza Jamro2, Javaid Ahmed Shah3 and Saima Kalsoom Babar2
ABSTRACT
Soils of Sindh are highly calcareous, consequently limiting potassium (K) supply to crops including sunflower due to low K activity ratio. The research was conducted to ascertain whether K foliar applications can improve growth, and yield of sunflower in calcareous soil. The sunflower cultivar (HO-1) was tested in field with three foliar K sources (Kfs) (MoP, SoP and NoP) and three foliar K times (Kft) treatments (2% once at leaf development stage (LDS), 2% in two equal splits (1% at LDS and 1% inflorescence emergence stage (IES), and 2% in three equal splits (0.67% at LDS, 0.67% IES and 0.67% flower bud development stage (FS). Three repeats of treatments arranged in randomized complete block design. The Kfs affected growth related parameters, chlorophyll concentration, leaf K concentration, seed yields significantly. Application of NoP and SoP raised the seed yield by 9.09% and 8.66% , respectively, over control. Oil content increased by 15% with NoP and 13% with SoP, over control, respectively. The significant Kft variations were also observed for most of the variables studied for field-grown sunflower plants. Among interaction of Kfs x Kft, seed and oil yields were obtained to be highest in T3 when NoP>SoP>MoP were sprayed with 0.67% spray each at LDS, IES and FS stage. It can be concluded that under the calcareous conditions of Sindh, foliar application of 2% K (2 or 3 equal splits at LDS, IES and FS) through NoP, SoP, and MoP sources increase the growth, seed and oil content of sunflower.
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