Effect of antioxidants and potassium on productivity of sunflower in sandy soil

Abstract EN

During two summer seasons of 2015 and 2016, the influence of antioxidants application and potassium levels on productivity of sunflower was estimated under sandy soil conditions.

Antioxidants (nil antioxidants; tap water only; vitamin E, 50 ppm; vitamin C, 100 ppm; citric acid, 500 ppm and vitamin E + vitamin C + citric acid at the same levels used individually for each).

Potassium levels included 0, 24, 36 and 48 kg K2O/feddan (0.42 hectar).

Results showed that both antioxidants application and potassium levels treatments had remarkable effects on plant height, head diameter, number of seeds/head, 1000 seed weight, seed and oil yields as well as percentages of harvest index, shelling, seed protein and seed oil in both seasons.

Maximum values of such tested traits were commonly recorded with using vitamin E + vitamin C + citric acid.

Increasing potassium level from 0 to 48 kg K2O/feddan caused significant increases in all traits of sunflower plants and the highest values were obtained at 48 kg K2O/feddan in both seasons.

All studied traits were significantly affected by the interaction between antioxidants application and potassium levels, except harvest index and seed protein percentage.