The Influence of Some Technological Elements on Sunflower Yields, Cultivated in the Timis Low Plain

Abstract

Due to the outstanding biological qualities and the versatility of the oil obtained both for human consumption and for industrial and energy uses, in recent years, the national and international demand for sunflower seed production has become increasingly high, which has led Romanian farmers to include the cultivation of this species in their different crop rotations, year after year. Against a backdrop of favorable climatic and soil conditions, sunflower has become a traditional crop in Romania, as demonstrated by the dynamic of the areas and yields obtained in the last decade, which have consecutively placed our country at the top of the European and even world rankings. At the same time, this particular species also has a remarkable fodder value in terms of the secondary products obtained after processing the seeds, namely sunflower grit and sunflower cakes, which are used in various fodder recipes, for several animal species such as sheep, goats and cattle. It is not to be neglected either that this crop is of particular importance for honey production in our country. For these reasons, it is necessary to constantly improve and adapt the cultivation technology of this valuable species to the current economic and environmental challenges, in order to ensure the same high level of this crop’s productivity. In this present paper, through research carried out over three experimental years (2022, 2023 and 2024), it was monitored the behaviour of two sunflower hybrids, adapted and cultivated in the pedo-climatic conditions of the Timiș Low Plain, an area recognized for its favourable results in sunflower seed production, both due to the high natural fertility of the soils and the sufficient water supply from rainfall. At the same time, the impact on production of some technological element essential for cultivation was observed, namely the chemical fertilization carried out on two distinct levels.