Performance of suflower in response to nitrogen management at different stages

Studies were conductesd for two years (2004 and 2005) to access the comparative productivity of sunflower to nitrogen application in various splits. Nitrogen was applied at 100 Kg ha’ as full at sowing, full at 1s t irrigation, full at flowering, Y 2 at sowing + Y 2 at 1st irrigation, Y 2 at sowing + Y 2 at flowering, Y 2 at 1 st irrigation + Y 2 at flowering, 1/3 at sowing + 1/3 at 1st irrigation + 1/3 at flowering, 1/3 at sowing + 1/3 at 1st irrigation + 1/3 at seed formation and 1/3 at sowing + 1/3 at flowering + 1/3 at seed formation. The highest achene yields of 2446 kg ha’ and 2370 kg ha’ were obtained in 2004 and 2005, respectively from plots, where nitrogen was applied in three equal splits at sowing, at first irrigation and at flowering. The mean crop growth rate (21.52 and 20.95 g m2 day”) and mean net assimilation rate (8.97 and 8.78 g m·2 day”) also gave significantly highest values in the same treatment during both years. All the quality traits were significantly affected with the application of nitrogen in oil.