Tag Archives: sunflower

2417–2427 E. Skoufogianni, K.D. Giannoulis, D. Bartzialis and N.G. Danalatos
Cost efficiency of different cropping systems encompassing the energy crop Helianthus annuus L.
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Cost efficiency of different cropping systems encompassing the energy crop Helianthus annuus L.

E. Skoufogianni, K.D. Giannoulis*, D. Bartzialis and N.G. Danalatos

University of Thessaly, Department of Agriculture, Crop Production & Rural Environment, Fytokoy street, 38443, Volos, Greece
*Correspondence: kyriakos.giannoulis@gmail.com

Abstract:

Crop rotation and green manure are the most ancient and popular cropping systems. This study sought to analyze the economic efficiency of sunflower where pea (Pisum sativum L.) either harvested or incorporated at the flowering stage in the soil before the sowing of sunflower in Europe and the final agricultural profit of such a cultivation system. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to report the production costs and to find out which of the tested cultivation system gets sunflower cultivation economically viable in Greece and in Mediterranean region. To assess the economic efficiency, three-year field experiments were established in two contrasting environments in central Greece (Trikala and Larisa) and contained three different cultivation practices using legumes comprised the main-factor (T1: control, T2: legume incorporated at the flowering stage, T3: legume incorporated after seed harvest), while nitrogen fertilization comprised the sub-factor (N1:0, N2:50, N3:100 and N4:150 kgNha-1). The results derived from this study revealed the positive effect of the legume incorporation treatment (T2: legume incorporated at the flowering stage) where the final yield increased up to 5 t ha-1 regardless region. Moreover, depending on the year the T2 treatment increases the final yield 30–50% and a yield increase was also noticed to the treatment where the legume was harvested (T3: legume incorporated after seed harvest). Therefore the introduction of this scheme into future land use systems in Greece and more generally in Mediterranean basin should be seriously taken into consideration.

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2350–2358 G. Mokrikov, T. Minnikova, K. Kazeev and S. Kolesnikov
Influence of precipitation and moisture reserves on the yield of crops under different tillage
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Influence of precipitation and moisture reserves on the yield of crops under different tillage

G. Mokrikov, T. Minnikova*, K. Kazeev and S. Kolesnikov

Southern Federal University, Academy of Biology and Biotechnology by D.I. Ivanovsky’s, Department of Ecology and Nature Management, av. Stachki 194/1, RU344090 Rostov on Done, Russia
*Correspondence: loko261008@yandex.ru

Abstract:

Tillage technologies that promote resource-saving and increase in the yield of agricultural crops are being increasingly involved into the agriculture of arid territories of Russian Federation. Studies of the impact of new tillage on soil quality and yield in Russian Federation are necessary owing to the high soils and climate diversity. Yield enhancement of major crops – winter wheat and sunflower – have been observed in Russian Federation in recent years. During 2014–2019 in the south of the European part of Russian Federation (Rostov region), the effect of No-Till (NT) on soil quality and yield of field crops was studied. The studies were carried out over an area of 5,500 hectares in comparison with adjacent fields, where conventional tillage (CT) of soils with mould board plowing was used. The yield of sunflower and winter wheat depended significantly on the amount of precipitation during the growing season. In 2014–2017 the use of No-Till increased the yield of winter wheat by 26–114%, of sunflower – by 27–92% as compared with farms, where the conventional tillage of soil treatment was used. No-Till helped to save motor fuel, increase yields of agricultural crops and lower the cost of winter wheat and sunflower.

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1463–1473 S. Akdemir, C. Cavalaris, and T. Gemtos
Energy balance of sunflower production
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Energy balance of sunflower production

S. Akdemir¹*, C. Cavalaris², and T. Gemtos²

¹Namık Kemal University, Technical Sciences Vocational School, TR 59030 Tekirdag, Turkey
²University of Thessaly, Department of Agriculture Crop Production and Rural Environment, Volos, Greece
*Correspondence: sakdemir@nku.edu.tr

Abstract:

The aim of the present study was to make an energy analysis of sunflower crop in the Trakya Region of Turkey, to evaluate the potential for using it as bioenergy source. Actual data for the common cropping practices applied in the region were collected with questionnaires given to the farmers. Literature data were used to obtain necessary energy indices. The collected information was used to establish energy budgets. Two alternative scenarios were examined: 1st-Using only the seed for biofuel production and 2nd -using the seed for biofuel and the stalks as biomass for bioenergy. The results showed that sunflower presented positive energy balance for both cases. Net energy was 35,334 MJ ha-1 when only the seed was taken into account and 87,308 MJ ha-1 for both seed and stalks. Energy efficiency was 3.67 and 7.34 respectively. Fertilization was the most energy intensive input (6,594 MJ ha-1) accounting for 48–50% of the total inputs. Tillage was the second most energy intensive input (3,595 MJ ha-1) accounting for 26–27% of total inputs. There were 6 different tillage operations such as ploughing, 4 machinery passages for seedbed preparation and hoeing in the sunflower production. All these operations increased energy inputs of the tillage. The total energy inputs were relatively low because it was possible to achieve high yields without irrigation.

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