Influence of Boron on Sunflower Yield and Nutritional Status

ABSTRACT

Sunflower has been mentioned in the literature as a plant that requires large amounts of boron (B) to achieve a successful crop. This study aimed at evaluating the influence of sunflower fertilization with boron on the soil nutrient concentration, index leaf, seed yield, fatty acids’ composition of sunflower oil, and oil content. Cultivar M734 was selected for boron fertilization at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 kg ha⁻¹ rates. The maximum economic return was obtained with 3.13 kg ha⁻¹. Neither oil content nor fatty acid composition was affected by boron. With proper irrigation, the M734 cultivar was able to absorb boron in the 0 − 40-cm layer, ultimately producing about 3000 kg ha⁻¹ of seeds in soils with only 0.30 mg kg⁻¹ of boron. Based on these results, it is suggested that the boron fertilization program be expanded to include the soil strata at 0−20 cm and 20−40 cm.

KEYWORDS:

• Helianthus annuus
• macronutrient
• micronutrient
• saturated fatty acids
• unsaturated fatty acids