Response of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) to Nitrogen Levels in Irrigated Areas in Somalia

Aims: SARTEC conducted an experimental study with the objective of determining the effects of various nitrogen rates on sunflower growth and yield in the Afgoi district, Lower Shabelle region.

Materials and Methods: The study was carried out at the SARTEC experimental farm in Afgoi during the Der season of 2020. The experiment used a Russian kind of sunflower and was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four replications and four plots for each. The crop was fertilized with different rates of N at 50, 100, and 150 kg ha-1, with a control/unfertilized plot included in each of the replications. Plant height, head diameter, hundred-seed weight, seed, straw, and biological yield, as well as harvest index, were all measured on five plants from each plot for data collection.

Results: The different fertilizer rates applied to the sunflower crop resulted in highly significant variations in yield and yield components. Seed-related parameters like seed weight and seed yield were influenced substantially more than other variables, including plant height; stem diameter, head diameter, and straw yield. Despite having the highest seed yield, plots with 150 kg of N ha-1 were not more cost-effective than plots with 100 kg ha-1.

Conclusion: In Somalia, 100 kg of N per hectare is the ideal rate for maximizing sunflower revenue and production while adhering to best management practices.