Sunflower is one of the main oil crops grown in Ukraine. In order to obtain good seedlings of this culture, it is necessary to properly cultivate the soil in order to preserve moisture in it as much as possible. Compared to grain crops, the period of assimilation of nutrients (especially potassium) is quite long for sunflower, so it needs a significant dose of fertilizers.
Application of mineral fertilizers
When carrying out the main tillage, it is necessary to apply phosphate fertilizer SUPERFOSFAT MAKOSH z mikroelementami (B, Zn) at a dose of 150-250 kg/ha and KALIUM MAKOSH at a dose of 120-200 kg/ha which will provide the plant with potassium and phosphorus for the entire growing season.
Sunflower has a significant need for nitrogen nutrition, so it is recommended to apply Anvistar Nitrate 200-400 kg/ha and MagSul 100-180 kg/ha or AS 21 MACRO Ammonium Sulphate 150-300 kg/ha for pre-sowing treatment. Nitrogen and sulfur activate the plant and improve the absorption of nutrients from the soil, which affects the laying of the future crop.
Complex mineral fertilizers, such as MAKOSH UNIVERSAL z borem or NPK MAKOSH z cynkiem can be applied during sunflower sowing at a rate of 150 to 300 kg/ha.
Foliar fertilization
Sunflower is very sensitive to boron deficiency, especially in conditions of moisture deficit and on carbonate soils. Boron improves the condition of plants, increases the number of seeds, yields and its quality characteristics. Boron deficiency causes severe deformation of young leaves, stunting of plants, deformation of sunflower baskets, poor pollination and seed ovary formation, or no seed formation at all.
In the phase of 4-6 leaves, sunflower baskets are set, therefore, to stimulate plant growth and development, increase yields, immunity and oil content, and mitigate the effects of heat or drought, such micro fertilizers are applied foliarly:
-
Urea – 7 kg/ha;
-
Magnesium sulphate crystalline (heptahydrate) – 5-10 kg/ha;
-
Wonder Leaf Blue – 2-3 kg/ha or Wonder Leaf Mono P 30 1-2 l/ha;
-
Wonder Leaf Mono B 11 1-2 l/ha
.At the phase of 8-10 leaves, foliar nutrition of sunflower is carried out to stimulate the root system, increase drought resistance, better planting and basket formation to protect and prevent the development of diseases. For this purpose, the following fertilizers are applied at the following rates:
-
Urea – 5 kg/ha;
-
Magnesium sulphate crystalline (heptahydrate) – 5-10 kg/ha;
-
Wonder Leaf Red or Wonder Leaf Yellow – 2-3 kg/ha;
-
Wonder Leaf Mono B 11– 1-2 l/ha.
Wonder Leaf Amino 43 – 0.5-1 l/ha – will ideally protect plants from herbicide stress or adverse weather conditions.
The specified rates of application are of a recommendatory nature, but only an agronomist can choose the correct rate of fertilizer application, taking into account the characteristics of the soil, the rates of removal of nutrients by the culture and many other factors.
