Sunflower in Indian languages Sunflower is a newly introduced oilseed crop ,But it was grown in India as ornamental plant since ancient times. Sunflower was introduced in India as an oilseed crop for the first time in 1969. Sunflower is an important oilseed crop of today . It can give large quantity of top quality oil per unit area and per unit time Local names Bengali Surjamukhi Oriya Surjamukhi Hindi Surjamukhi Assamese Beliphool,Surjamukhi phool Punjabi Surjamukhi Gujarat Surjamukhi Marathi Surjaphul Tamil Suriyakanthi Telugu Proddutirugudu puvvu.

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Origin The cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) is a common sunflower and native of southern United states , from where it was taken to Spain before the middle of the sixteenth century. In nineteenth century the cultivation of sunflower as an oilseed crop began in the former Soviet Union and the majority of the present day varieties grown all over the world trace back their origin to the USSR ,In Hindi the sunflower is called Surajmukhi. The sunflower owes its economic value to its utility as an oilseed or fodder crop. As a fodder or forage crop,sunflower is fed green or converted into silage which is popular in USA,Canada and in some other coutnries. The sunflower crop was introduced into India in 1965 and according to some estimates of the trade and the Vanaspati Manufacturer's Association ,the sunflower was grown in India during 1975-76 as a commercial crop under 3,88,000 hectares of land. The sunflower is gaining ground as a newer oilseed towards self sufficiency in vegetable oils(Vanaspati Ghee ) Sunflower Distribution The cultivated sunflower is evolved in North America, but now it is cultivated in warm temperate, subtropical and tropical climates throughout the world.

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Area And Production The Varieties available are cultivated during both Kharif and Rabi seasons. Hybrids also occupy good amount of area in these districts., E.C. 68414, Morden, APSH-11, KBSH-1 and other Varieties and hybrids are popular. It is a relatively new crop to India and cultivated area in the country 10.18 L.ha (2001-02). Andhra Pradesh contributes 2.30 L.ha occupying 2nd place. Sunflower Area and Production (2000-2002)[Area in Lakh hectares& Poroduction in Lakh tonnes] Sl.No State Rabi 2000-01 Rabi 2000-02 Area Production Area Production 1 Andhra Pradesh 1.00 0.07 2.30 1.60 2 Assam 0.15 0.10 - - 3 Haryana 0.25 2.17 0.06 0.04 4 Karnataka 5.00 2.20 5.00 3.50 5 MP 0.05 0.03 0.20 0.10 6 Maharastra 2.00 1.20 2.00 1.50 7 Orissa 0.04 0.24 0.05 0.03 8 Punjab 0.30 0.39 -        - 9 Tamil Nadu 0.07 0.04 0.07 0.05 10 UP 0.20 0.12      -        - 11 Others 0.60 0.36 0.50 0.30 12 All India 9.66 5.55 10.18 7.02 Source:Indiamart.com As sunflower crop is a highly cross-pollinated one, it requires different pollination agents and management practices like rubbing of flowers for increased percentage of filled-in grains. Andhra Pradesh stands second in the Country in production next to Karnataka with 1.6 L.T which works out to 17% of the country's production (7.02 L.T) as per 2001-02 figures. In respect of the sunflower yields, the country records an average of 549 Kgs/ha while, Andhra Pradesh per ha yields are 478 Kgs/ha occupying 5th rank in the Country. Sunflower Productivity Sl.No State Productivity(L.T) 1. Haryana 1,450 2. Punjab 1,444 3. Uttar Pradesh 1,296 4. Tamilnadu 1,040 5. Andhra Pradesh 478 6. All India average 549 Districtwise Area, Production & Productivity of Sunflower in Andhra Pradesh 2003-04 District Area in Hectares Production in tonnes Yield in Kg/ha 1 2 3 4 Srikakulam 753 885 1175 Visakhapatnam 7 8 1175 East Godavari 413 459 1112 West Godavari 2966 3485 1175 Krishna 511 600 1174 Guntur 398 437 1099 Prakasham 19643 24570 1251 Nellore 13293 12845 966 Chittoor 2563 1488 581 Cuddapah 96050 54603 568 Ananthapur 74525 29572 397 Kurnool 216637 142013 656 Mahaboobnagar 37453 28257 754 Rangareddy 852 800 939 Medak 7855 15357 1955 Nizamabad 13321 13985 1050 Adilabad 1144 835 730 Karimnagar 497 898 1806 Warangal 313 461 1473 Khammam 716 778 1087 Nalgonda 847 929 1097 State 490757 333265 679 Source: Season and Crop Report, Ap Govt Area, Productivity and Production of Sunflower in Andhra Pradesh Year Area in lakh hectares Productivity in Kgs/hect Production in lakh tonnes 1 2 3 4 1999-2000 2.78 573 1.59 2000-2001 1.97 851 1.68 2001-2002 2.67 820 2.19 2002-2003 4.16 663 2.76 2003-2004 4.91 679 3.33 Average of preceding 5 years (1998-99 to 2002-2003) 2.98 702 2.04 Source: Season and Crop Report, Ap Govt

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Uses Of Sunflower The percent of oil in sunflower is higher (45-50%) over other oil seed crop. Sunflower oil is rich in poly unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and has a pleasant flavour, an excellent keeping quality, when refined. The oil is used in making margarine and is regarded as good cooking oil. It, being rich in linoleic acid (62.5%), is recommended as a dietary constituent to the heart patients. The Sunflower cake makes a high quality cattle and poultry feed because of higher protein (40-44%) and balanced amino acids. Sunflowers harvested at dough stage (green sunflower) makes an excellent quality forage, specially for milch cattle. The stem The sunflower stem has rather long bast fibres, and the plant has often been suggested as a source of fibre supply. The fibre is too weak and brittle to be of value for cordage and textile purposes. Paper has been made from the stalks; but in treeless regions, where it is abundantly grown, the highest value is doubtless, obtained for its use as fuel. The seed Fried sunflower seeds with pepper are a delicacy in the East European countries. The flour is highly nutritive and used in bakery. The hulls are used as fillers in cattle feed and also as fuel. The seeds are used in medicine as diuretic and in treating certain disorders of the respiratory tract. Oil The oil must be extracted within 90 days of harvesting otherwise it becomes bitter in taste especially when stored under damp conditions. Such seeds also lose their viability. Used for culinary and industrial purposes. The oil content in the seed is about 40 to 45 per cent. The oil is a good substitute for olive oil. In industry, the oil is used in the manufacture of margarine, and in other edible products. Being a semi drying oil, it is used in the paint and varnish industry. In woollen fabric making, it is used for treating shoddy. Sulphonated sunflower oil is used in high coefficient liquid disinfectants. It is extensively used in the soap and cosmetic industry. Suitable of sunflower in Indian cropping system Sunflower is a drought tolerant crop due to its deep tap root therefore it is the best substitute to all rainfed commercial crops. This can be grown in rabi and summer as I.D crop with higher yield. It is the best substitute for delayed kharif sowing due to delayed onset of monsoon which is very common phenomenon. Because of its short duration nature it can be incorporated in any type of cropping system. Seed cost is very low when compared with groundnut (Roughly cost of groundnut seed/ha is Rs. 2,2250/-) an important oil seed of A.P. Sunflower can be profitably cultivated with less expenditure, limited water, easy cultivation methods, hence small and marginal farmers can take up this crop easily and profitably. Sunflower can be comes to harvest 10-15 days earlier to groundnut. Water requirement, seed requirement (interms of cost also) and cost of cultivation is much less in sunflower over groundnut. Sunflower is a photo-intensive crop, hence, can be grown throughout the year if water is available. But the duration will be extended in winter season or in cold climates. As in other crops no flower drop is seen in sunflower. This may be one of the reasons for more ill filled grains in this crop. Suitable varieties and hybrids are available suit our climatic conditions. Sunflower is an errect growing plant and hence, no shade effect on the component crop if it is grown as an inter crop.

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Nutritional Aspects Of Sunflower Products The seeds contain 20-40 per cent of an edible cooking oil. The defatted sunflower press-cake, produced from decorticated seeds, or the solvent extracted meal, contain 40-80 per cent protein of good digestibility. The sunflower protein is rich in methionine and tryptophan, and the limiting amino acid is lysine. There is no evidence of toxicity in sunflower meal, but the seeds contain a phenolic compound, chlorogenic acid, which causes the defatted flour to darken when it is cooked under neutral or alkaline conditions. This is a major limitation to its acceptability in food products. The refined sunflower oil is richer in mineral contents than groundnut. It contains Vitamins A, D, E and C. The sunflower oil is used for culinary purposes, in the preparation of vanaspati and in the manufacture of soaps and cosmetics. Its cake is rich in protein and is used as cattle and poultry feed enriched with 40% protein containing amino-acids and calcium. Sunflower Oil is also of good quality, even without further refining, and does not contain any linolenic acid, or develop undesirable flavours on heating. Its content of linoleic acid is high and of saturated fatty acids is low, making it preferred oil in medical control diets, for the reduction on hig-serum cholesterol levels. The content of unsaturated fatty acids in sunflower oil varies according to the ecological conditions of growth, from 89 to 91 percent, but much lower contents have been found in sunflower oils produced in very hot climates. Domestic Utilization of Sunflower Seeds At the subsistence level, the sunflower heads are harvested by hand, sun-dried and mature seeds are rubbed out of the flower centres. The seed kernels are eaten raw, roasted or salted as snacks, like groundnuts. The roasted kernels may be used in a variety of sweatmeats or added for enrichment to soups and sauces.

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