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FAISALABAD, Jan 29 (APP):Punjab Agriculture Department has rolled out a fresh advisory outlining soil selection, seed quality, nutrition and weed control measures for helping the farmers to maximize sunflower production during the current season.
A spokesperson of Agriculture (Extension) Department said here on Thursday that heavy loam soil offers best results for sunflower cultivation while waterlogged, saline and sandy lands are unsuitable for the crop.
He said that the farmers in southern and central Punjab should complete sunflower sowing by January 31 whereas the growers in northern Punjab can continue its cultivation up to February 15.
For improved yield, he stresses sowing the crop in rows on ridges by using a planter or drill. He recommended the spacing of two and a half feet between rows and nine inches between plants in irrigated areas.
He advised the farmers to use clean hybrid seed with more than 90 percent germination at s rate of two kilograms per acre.
He also recommended seed treatment with thiophanate methyl at two grams per kilogram of seed before sowing to protect against fungal diseases.
At the time of cultivation, the farmers should apply one and three-quarter bags of DAP along with one bag of SOP per acre in weak soils while moderately fertile soils require one and a half bags of DAP and one bag of SOP per acre, he added.
He said that the first irrigation should be applied 20 days after germination followed by a second watering after another 20 days.
For weed management, the farmers should pray pendimethalin at the rate of 800 milliliters per acre in 120 liters of water within 12 hours of sowing under moist soil conditions in consultation with local agriculture extension experts.
Timely implementation of these measures would help ensure healthy crop growth and better returns for sunflower growers, he added.