The Effect of Green Manures on Some Agronomic and Chemical Aspects of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) under Different Nutrition Systems in Ahvaz Climatic Conditions

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

2 Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Bavi, Mollasani, Iran

10.22126/atic.2026.13599.1273

Abstract

In sustainable agriculture, the application of green manure, serving as an alternative to chemical fertilizers, holds great importance. To investigate the effect of green manure plants and different nutrition systems on some agronomic traits and seed chemical composition of sunflower, a field experiment was conducted during the 2023–2024 growing season at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran. The experiment was arranged in a split-plot design in a randomized complete block with three replications. The main plots consisted of green manure plants at four levels: 1- control, 2- barley green manure, 3- berseem clover green manure and 4- mixed green manure of barley and berseem clover. The sub-plots consisted of different nutrition management systems: 1- control, 2- 100% chemical system 3- integrated system and 4- organic system. Results indicated that the highest seed yield and number of seeds per head, the lowest empty seeds percentage and the highest seed oil yield per unit area were obtained from the mixed barley and berseem clover green manure treatment under the chemical system, with values of 6.29 tons ha-1, 876.17 seeds, 1.87%, and 1914.76 kg per hectare, respectively. The highest protein yield per unit area was obtained from the berseem clover green manure treatment under chemical fertilization, with a value of 718.84 kg per hectare. The lowest seed yield of 3.5 tons ha-1 was obtained from the barley treatment under the control without fertilization. Choosing the mixture of barley and clover along with chemical fertilizer resulted in the highest seed and oil yields and based on LSD comparison, placed it in the superior statistical group for protein yield as well. However, for sustainable agriculture and high seed yield, while also achieving high oil and protein yields, cultivation of berseem clover green manure with the integrated system is recommended.

Graphical Abstract

The Effect of Green Manures on Some Agronomic and Chemical Aspects of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) under Different Nutrition Systems in Ahvaz Climatic Conditions

Highlights

  • Highest seed yield (6.29 t/ha), seeds per head (876.17), and oil yield (1914.76 kg/ha) were achieved with mixed barley + berseem clover green manure under the full chemical nutrition system.
  • For sustainable agriculture, berseem clover green manure combined with the integrated nutrition system (50% chemical + biofertilizers + vermicompost) is recommended to achieve high oil and protein yields while improving soil fertility.
  • Mixed barley + clover green manure under the integrated system produced the highest 1000-seed weight (96.48 g), indicating improved seed filling due to balanced, slow-release nutrition.
  • Clover green manure alone, without any fertilizer, performed statistically similar to chemically fertilized treatments in number of seeds per head, demonstrating biological nitrogen fixation as an effective substitute for nitrogen fertilizer.
  • Seed yield showed a very strong positive correlation with number of seeds per head (r = 0.839) and protein yield (r = 0.823), but no significant correlation with oil percentage (r = 0.052ns), confirming that oil content is genetically independent of yield.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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