Crop name: sunflower. Botanical name: Helianthus annuus.

Nutritional value: the seed contains linoleic acid and high-quality oil. Medicinal value: sunflower oil is very beneficial for people with heart disease.

Uses: sunflower oilcake is an excellent feed for cattle and buffalo. After the seeds are removed, the heads can be fed to cattle. The plants and flower heads are used as fuel.

Suitable land and soil: sunflower grows in almost any soil, but loam is best.

So far BARI has developed two varieties: Kironi (DS-1) and BARI Surjomukhi-2.

• Kironi: approved in 1992, developed through selection. Stem diameter 1.5–2.0 cm; mature flower head diameter 12–15 cm; 400–600 seeds per head; black seed; 1,000 seeds weigh 68–72 g; oil content 42–44 per cent. Moderately tolerant of Alternaria blight. Crop duration 90–110 days. Yield 1.6 to 1.8 tonnes a hectare.
• BARI Surjomukhi-2: stem diameter 2.0–2.4 cm; mature flower head diameter 15–18 cm; black seed; 1,000 seeds weigh 65–70 g; 450–650 seeds per head; oil content 42–44 per cent. Crop duration 95–100 days in the rabi season and 90–95 days in kharif. Yield 2.0 to 2.3 tonnes a hectare in rabi and 1.5 to 1.8 tonnes in kharif.

Seed rate: 8–10 kg a hectare.

Source: Staff Correspondent. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.