Performance of Irrigated Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus L) and the Major Insects Attacking the Seeds

Abstract

The first experiment was conducted at the Rainy season farm of the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria behind National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Service in the year 2012 and then the second at the Irrigation site of IAR in the year 2013. The objective of the work was to determine the performance of Sunflower in both Rainy and under irrigation and identify the major entomofauna that cause damage to the crop. Surface irrigation was used to supply water to the crop. The experiment was laid in a Randomised Complete Block Design consisting of five treatments which include watering after every two, three, four, five and six days. The result of the studies indicated that there was significant difference (P=0.05) between treatments that received water after every two and three days to those that received water after every four, five and six days. Similarly, there was significant difference between rain fed and irrigated sunflower regarding the yield. Rain fed sunflower gave an average of 800 Kg/ ha while irrigated sunflower gave an average of 1074 kg/ha. The major insects observed in irrigated sunflower were Agonoscelis versicolor, Pachnoda cordata, Sphaerocoris testudogrisear, Anoplocnemis curvipes, Zonocerus variegatus, Dysdercus volkeri and Microtermis spp. The result of the studies further indicated significant difference (P=0.05) between the rain fed and irrigated crop. Irrigated sunflower recorded the highest number of insects, pollinators, low number of empty achenes and lodged plants. The result also indicated that there was correlation between yield and plant establishment, capitulum diameter and Apis mellifera. However, there is no correlation between yield and lodged and unfilled achenes but there was correlation between the number of Apis mellifera and unfilled achenes.

Key words: Entomofauna, Sunflower, Surface irrigation and yield.