Sunflower: an ideal crop for multiple cropping

摘要

Sunflower being insensitive to temperature can be grown the year round. However, spring season cultivation has been found to be more favourable due to enhanced productivity of sunflower in Punjab. At present food, fibre and oilseed needs of the country are large and their demand is bound to increase further with the increasing population. Besides cereals and pulses, edible oils play an important role in human nutrition. Edible oils contribute 12-13% of dietary needs of the people. Among various oilseed crops, sunflower has emerged as a preferred crop for the producers as well as consumers. It is a rich source of high quality edible oil (40-43 %) and is suitable as refined oil and vanaspati owing to high degree of polyunsaturated fatty acid (64 % linoleic acid). It has a good taste and pleasant odour and nutritional value.