Analytical assessment of sunflower production in ukraine

The article considers the current state of sunflower production in Ukraine. The main indicators of the industry, the dynamics of changes in the area of sunflower crops, yield and profitability are analyzed. The main factors influencing the production of sunflower using index analysis have been studied. The regional structure of sunflower production is considered with the separation of groups of enterprises by organizational form. Ukrainian enterprises are provided with proposals to increase the level of industry development and production.

Conservation tillage improves productivity of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) under reduced irrigation on sandy loam soil

Sunflower production is significantly lower in arid and semi-arid regions due to various crop management problem. Conservation of tillage provides the most excellent opportunity to reduce degradation of soil reserves and increase soil productivity. The main objective of this study was to investigate the combined effects of conservation tillage and drought stress on growth and productivity of different sunflower hybrids. Experimental treatments included two sunflower hybrids (‘NK-Senji’ and ‘S-278’), two drought stress treatments (i.e., well-watered and drought stress at flowering and grain filling stages) and three tillage practices (i.e., conservation, minimum and deep tillage). The results indicated that morphological and physiological parameters, and yield-related traits were significantly (P≤0.05) affected by all individual factors; however, their interactive effects were non-significant. Among sunflower hybrids, ‘NK-Senji’ performed better for morphological, physiological, and yield-related traits than ‘S-278’. Similarly, conservation tillage observed better traits compared to the rest of the tillage practices included in the study. Nonetheless, conservation tillage improved growth and yield-related traits of hybrid ‘NK-Senji’ under drought stress. Hence, it is concluded that conservation tillage can improve the productivity of sunflower under low moisture availability. Therefore, conservation tillage could be suggested in the areas of lower water ability to improve sunflower production. Nonetheless, sunflower hybrids or varieties need thorough testing for their adaptability to conservation tillage and low moisture availability before making recommendations.

Quantitative Analysis of Farmers Perception of the Constraints to Sunflower Production: A Transverse Study Approach Using Hierarchical Logistic Model (HLM)

Sunflower production is an excellent choice for both local and national agribusiness with significant potential in smallholder farming systems due to low input costs, consistent yields, and a short planting window. However, farmers are faced with interrelated constraints in their sunflower production. This study was undertaken to examines the perceptions of the constraints to sunflower production as perceived by smallholder farmers in North West Province, South Africa. The research identifies some factors related to sunflower production constraints. Then, a stratified random sampling technique was used to select 172 sunflower farmers and they were asked to rate their response on these attributes on a 5-points Likert scale. Leveraging principal component analysis (PCA), we agglomerated and condense information from the original datasets of the constraint attributes into three main components (innovation, farm finance, and crop management practice). Because of the hierarchical structure of the dataset with farmers nested within their local municipalities, we use Hierarchical Logistic Modeling techniques to identify the factors that determine farmer’s perceived interest in innovation, farm finance, and crop management practices. Innovation and farm finance emerge to be critical elements for sustainable sunflower production. The findings indicate that age, education, household size, farm size, cooperative membership, and gender are strongly correlated with farmers’ perceived interest in innovation and farm finance characteristics. This study recommends that to promote these elements among smallholder farmers, it is necessary for governments at the local and national level to invest in extension service and education, cooperative organizations, research, and development in disentangling the age, gender, and farm size inequalities existing in the district sunflower production.

Potential of Sunflower-Legume Intercropping: A Way Forward in Sustainable Production of Sunflower in Temperate Climatic Conditions

The ongoing climate change, coupled with the transformations of cultivation practices and land use in sole crop production, may cause a significant decline in sunflower yield stability. Considering that the sunflower is the third oilseed in the world oilseed market, with 45 million tons of grain per year, and that it takes the fourth position in the vegetable oil market, the implementation of sustainable growing technology in sunflower production is a necessity. Considering the above, the goal of the research was to analyze and recommend sustainable sunflower production technology in intercropping systems. A four-year trial was conducted in Serbia’s agroecological conditions (45∘34′23.2′′ N 19∘86′18.9′′ E) using a split-plot design. Two oil-type hybrids and one confectionary-type hybrid were intercropped with common vetch, red clover, and alfalfa. Common vetch × sunflower intercropping resulted in the decrease in almost all sunflower traits. Moreover, sunflower × alfalfa intercropping proved to be the most appropriate. The yield of NS Gricko and Rimi PR were statistically on the same level with sole cropping, while alfalfa biomass had better results after alfalfa was intercropped with NS Gricko, as compared to sole cropping. In view of the prevailing belief that yields are more stable in intercropping than in sole cropping, further research is needed in this respect, in addition to further research of the time and method of sowing.

Impact of Agricultural Drought on Sunflower Production across Hungary

In the last few decades, agricultural drought (Ag.D) has seriously affected crop production and food security worldwide. In Hungary, little research has been carried out to assess the impacts of climate change, particularly regarding droughts and crop production, and especially on regional scales. Thus, the main aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of agricultural drought on sunflower production across Hungary. Drought data for the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) were collected from the CARBATCLIM database (1961–2010), whereas sunflower production was collected from the Hungarian national statistical center (KSH) on regional and national scales. To address the impact of Ag.D on sunflower production, the sequence of standardized yield residuals (SSYR) and yield losses YlossAD was applied. Additionally, sunflower resilience to Ag.D (SRAg.D) was assessed on a regional scale. The results showed that Ag.D is more severe in the western regions of Hungary, with a significantly positive trend. Interestingly, drought events were more frequent between 1990 and 2010. Moreover, the lowest SSYR values were reported as −3.20 in the Hajdu-Bihar region (2010). In this sense, during the sunflower growing cycle, the relationship between SSYR and Ag.D revealed that the highest correlations were recorded in the central and western regions of Hungary. However, 75% of the regions showed that the plantation of sunflower is not resilient to drought where SRAg.Dx < 1. To cope with climate change in Hungary, an urgent mitigation plan should be implemented.

AN INNOVATIVE COMPONENT IN GENERATING EFFICIENCY OF SUNFLOWER PRODUCTION

The introductory part emphasizes that since 2004, Ukrainian agriculture has gradually begun to crank up production. This is largely associated with the growth of crop production, including sunflower. During 2004–2020, gross sunflower yield increased by 3.1 times, and yield capacity – more than double. Research methods involve grouping a complex of agricultural enterprises following the cost value per 1 ha of the sown area and sunflower yield. To classify the enterprises according to the level of innovative production, the authors have put forward a method for determining the coefficient of innovation. The object of the study comprises the agricultural enterprises of Kharkiv region. The results of grouping following yield rate have made it possible to establish a direct dependence between the cost value and sunflower yield. In a group of enterprises with an average yield of up to 15 centners/ha, costs amounted to 9653 UAH / ha; in a group with a yield of 25.1–30 centners/ha – 14860 UAH/ha; with a yield of more than 45 centners/ha – 27518 UAH/ha. It has also been found that an increase in the rate of sunflower yield by 1 centner leads to an average profit increase of 307.9 UAH/ha. The grouping of enterprises by the level of costs per 1 sown area of sunflower has made it possible to assume that the nature of the relationship of a grouping indicator with profit margin is characterized by a nonlinear function. It has been determined that this function has a maximum when the cost increases by 16960 UAH/ha and the amount of profit – by 6199 UAH/ha. The paper has also marked that under such cost value, the value of sunflower yield should be equal to 29.8 centners/ha. The practical approval of the methodological approach to determining the coefficient of innovative development of sunflower production has shown that this indicator objectively conveys the rate of use of innovations in the manufacturing process. Enterprises that had a coefficient of innovative development above 1 were characterized by a much higher level of yield, profitability, and production intensity.

Detection of ultra-weak photon emission in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) infested by two spotted-spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch-research note

Sunflower production plays an important role in global industrial oil production. Two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is a dangerous, polyphagous arthropod pest with a cosmopolitan distribution, which can endanger the economic features of global sunflower production. It is widely known that pests trigger various reactions in host plants. Among these, detection of ultra-weak photon emission (UPE) enhanced upon infestation is a novel, non-invasive method suitable for the visualisation and monitoring of both biotic and abiotic stress in living tissues. In the present study, the increase in ultra-weak UPE triggered by biotic stress caused by T. urticae in Helianthus annuus was measured. UPE response of injured plants differed from that of the control plants, which was reflected by a difference in bioluminescence intensity. In leaves attacked by T. urticae the onset value of average photon count detected by the sensor and expressed in cps (counts per second) was one order of magnitude higher on average as compared to that revealed by uninjured leaves. Furthermore, UPE emission in infested leaves resulted in an abrupt decrease in the ultra-weak photon emission intensity when assayed as a function of time. The use of this non-invasive imaging technique has allowed the detection of the injury induced by T. urticae, as a biotic stressor.

Econometric forecasting methods industrial sectors of the agro-industrial complex

Aim. Development and justification of the calculation and analytical tool and adaptation of the methodology of its use to the laws of the development of individual branches of agricultural production and scientific interpretation of promising directions of their development. Materials and Methods. In the course of the work, econometric models were used, the main ones of which should be considered correlation and regression, including ridge regression, simulation and trend. The method of simulation modeling was supplemented by the method of expert assessments. Calculations of econometric models were carried out using the SPSS Statistics, Mathcad packages and the FAR-AREA 4.0 software tool. Results. Calculations using econometric models allowed us to develop and justify three author's scenarios for the development of sunflower production in the region: inertial, moderate and optimistic, in the context of the implementation of an export-oriented strategy in the agro-industrial complex for the period up to 2023. Conclusion. To implement the conditions of all three variants of the forecast of sunflower production, it is necessary to increase the use of elite seeds of domestic production and imported seeds in the structure of crops, as well as to ensure a positive dynamics of the introduction of plant protection products per 1 hectare of sown area, which in the future will contribute to the growth of crop yields. The forecast parameters of sunflower yield obtained by us in 2023 in the Rostov region for all three variants are realistic and correspond to the production conditions of the region.

Effects of mulching with crushed wheat straw padding and plastic film on sunflower emergence, yield, and yield components under different irrigation intensity in the northwest arid regions, China

Crops in the northwest arid region of China frequently suffer from low emergence and poor yield due to high water deficit. Mulching is an important approach to reduce irrigation amount while increasing productivity but faces challenge of ecological adaptability in this region. A field experiment was carried out in the three growing seasons from 2011 to 2013 to study effects of mulching with crushed wheat straw padding and plastic film on sunflower seed emergence and yields under different irrigation intensities. A two factor (mulching, irrigation intensity) completely randomized block design was applied, resulting in a total of 12 treatments repeated three times. Mulching treatments includes: zero mulch (N), straw mulching at the beginning of trial (S), plastic film mulching when sowing (F), a commonly used mulching by local farmers, and double mulching with plastic film on the crushed wheat straw layer (SF). Irrigation intensity includes: High (H=900 m3 ha-1), Medium (M=750m3 ha-1), Low (L=600m3 ha-1). Results showed that all mulching treatments promoted early emergence of seedlings compared with N, with SF and F performing the better than the rest. SF was the best-performing mulching approach in this study, and had significantly improved sunflower yield and yield components compared with other treatments. In SF, medium irrigation level had significantly increased sunflower 100-seed weight. Therefore, SF with medium irrigation level showed the most positive effect on sunflower production and in now the recommended agronomic solution for sunflower production in the northwest arid regions and potentially, other irrigated areas with similar ecological conditions.