Integrated Nutrient Management in Sunflower under Vertisols

The dramatic transformation of the Indian Oilseeds Economy from a net importer status in the eighties to a self sufficient and more so a "net exporter" status during the early nineties has been popularly termed as the yellow revolution. Sunflower (Helianthus annuls L.) is an important oilseed crop belonging to the family composite. It contains 45-50% good quality edible oil. Sunflower oil is rich in lanolin and oleic acid which are known to reduce cholesterol and is therefore, specially recommended for heart patients. The cultivated sunflower is a native of southern United States and Mexico. Soil health degradation is much evident in areas which had witnessed "yellow revolution". To get higher production and replenish the heavy nutrient removal under cereal-cereal sequences, heavy doses of high analysis fertilizer had to be continuously applied. This resulted in widespread problems which include imbalance of plant nutrients in soil, soil toxicity and numerous soil hazards in many parts of the country. Country's fertilizer production is estimated to be quite less than the requirement to meet the desired food production in future.