Sunflowers are grown for oil production, birdseed and confectionary. Usually considered a short-season opportunity crop, sunflower, when grown well, is a highly profitable crop that provides some very important rotational benefits. Sunflowers are best suited to mild temperatures, but can be grown in relatively hot areas as long as moisture is not limiting.

Highly suited to no-till sowing into stubble retention situations, sunflowers are most often sown after a long fallow following a winter cereal but the crop leaves minimal stubble cover following harvest. Sunflowers are suitable for use in a short fallow following sorghum, or as a double crop option provided the soil moisture profile is near full.

Topics

• Planning/paddock preparation and planting
• Plant growth and physiology
• Nutrition and fertiliser
• Weed and insect control
• Nematode management
• Diseases
• Plant growth regulators and canopy management
• Crop desiccation and spray out
• Harvest and storage
• Environmental issues
• Marketing