Introduction:
Sunflower is familiar worldwide for its beauty; it is also an important source of food. Sunflower is a newly introduced oilseed crop, but it was grown in India as ornamental plant since ancient times. As an oilseed crop it was introduced in India for the first time in 1969. Sunflower oil is a valued and healthy vegetable oil and sunflower seeds are enjoyed as a healthy, tasty snack and nutritious ingredient to many foods. Sunflowers are a native North American plant, believed to have started in what now is Arizona and New Mexico as early as 3000 B.C.

Sunflower is one of the most important oil seed crop grown in temperate countries. In India it has gained popularity due to the national priority of vegetable oil production.

Growing Area: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are the main sunflower-growing states of India. In recent years, its cultivation was taken up in non-traditional states like Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. In Rajasthan, it is cultivated only in Sriganganagar; in Uttar Pradesh in Kanpur, Meerut, Nainital and the Terrai region and in Gujarat in Ahmednagar, Gandhinagarand Kheda districts. In Maharashtra sunflower is cultivated in Khandesh and Marathawad region.

Karnataka accounts for nearly half the area under sunflower in the country.

[Area in Lakh hector & Poroduction in Lakh tonnes]

CROPPING SEASON:
Sunflower is largely cultivated under rain fed conditions during late kharif/rabi season. Due to its short duration (80-115 days), it ideally is sown more between August and October. Harvesting sets in February.

Sunflower is a drought tolerant crop due to its deep taproot.

Sunflower Oil & Seed Production in India:
Sunflower is one of the important crops in India's oil seed production that has contributed to rapid growth in oilseed production during late eighties and early 1990s. Area under Sunflower production started increasing in the beginning of 90’s and reached to 2122 thousand hectors during December 1996 but recently it has come down to 1288 thousand hectors during December 2000. One of the reasons of decrease in crop production is the rise in prices of high yielding variety seeds; also quality of seeds had deteriorated.

Sunflower Uses:

Sunflower Seed:
The sunflower seed contains oil (35 to 50%) and protein (17-25%). The seeds contain hull with a high fibre and wax content and low protein content, which are considered as constraints in obtaining a better yield of oil and a high quality protein. In order to overcome these constraints the seeds are dehulled so as to make them suitable for giving a better yield of oil and a quality protein rich cake. These dehulled seeds further can be utilized in the preparation of snack like chikkies, and other confectionery items, besides for extracting edible quality oil and cake.

At the subsistence level, 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.

Sunflower Cake:
Sunflower seed extractions are widely used as protein material for animal feed. Indian sunflower seed extractions contain about 30% crude protein with 30% fibre. Although sunflower protein is low in lysine, methionime & cystine levels are favourable to meet poultry feed requirements. It is superior to most vegetable proteins in digestibility. Recent development of various enzyme preparations, which can act upon fibre in sunflower meal, making it more digestible, can result in an economical substitute for various protein sources. Thus it can be used at higher levels in the poultry feed.

Sunflower Oil:
Sunflower Oil is healthy and natural. It is a light, odorless and nearly flavorless oil pressed and derived from oil type sunflower seeds. Sunflower oil is light in taste and appearance and supplies more Vitamin E than any other vegetable oil.

The percent of Oil in Sunflower is approximately 45% to 50%, i.e. higher than other oilseed crop.

The oil must be extracted within 90 days of harvesting otherwise it becomes bitter in taste. It is rich in linoleic acid (62.5%), so it is recommended as a dietary constituent to the heart patients.

Sunflower Local Namesè
 

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