Hybrid Seed Can Increase Sunflower Production Manifold: Experts

Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published December 26, 2023 | 06:25 PM

Agriculture experts have advised farmers to use hybrid seed of sunflower varieties as it can increase its production manifold

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 26th Dec, 2023) Agriculture experts have advised farmers to use hybrid seed of sunflower varieties as it can increase its production manifold.

A spokesman for the Agriculture (Extension) Department said here on Tuesday that Pakistan had to spend Rs.300 billion per annum on the import of edible oil and the amount could be saved by promoting cultivation of oil-seed crops in the country.

He said that sunflower was a precious oil-seed crop as its seed had 40 to 50 percent oil and its production could play a major role in trimming down the export bill of edible oil in addition to catering to domestic needs. He said that the growers should prefer seed of hybrid varieties as it could give maximum production and help them mitigate their financial constraints.

Among the approved hybrid varieties of sunflower included Hi-Sun-33, T-40318, Egora-4, S-278, US-444, US-666, NKR Money, Aug-Sun-5264, HSF-350, A-Sun-7, Ori-Sun-648, Ori-Sun-516, Ori-Sun-675, Ori-Sun-701, Ori-Sun-741, Ori-Sun-751 and Par-Sun-3, etc.

He said that the growers of southern and central Punjab including Faisalabad, Mianwali, Sargodha, Khushab, Jhang, Sahiwal, Okara, Pakpatan, Toba Tek Singh, Chiniot, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Lahore, Mandi Baha-ud-Din, Hafiz Abad, Kasur, Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajan Pur, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan, Vehari, Bahawal Nagar, Muzaffar Garh, Layyah, Lodhran, Bhakkar and Khanewal should complete sunflower cultivation up to January 31 while the farmers of Northern Punjab including Narowal, Attock, Rawalpindi, Gujrat, Jehlum and Chakwal could complete its cultivation up to February 15.

The farmers should use 2 kilograms per acre seed which had 90 percent germination potential whereas the number of plants in one acre should be from 22,000 to 23,000 for getting a bumper yield, he added.