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Optimising planting to obtain a robust sunflower: Terres Inovia publishes its technical review

Planting and starting, the key phases for successful sunflower growing

Sunflower is a key component of French field crop agrosystems, capable of delivering numerous benefits to the production systems in which it is included. The main rotation crop in its historical production areas, sunflower is a prime diversification option in more northerly contexts, particularly in non-irrigated systems.

The cycle of this spring-sown crop comprises two very distinct phases: a vegetative phase, during which growers have to use a number of technical levers to ensure the crop's nutrition and protection, and a reproductive phase, which is strongly influenced by the soil and climate conditions, as the crop progresses towards maturity. But, as with many crops, it's the success of the planting that really counts, the sunflower's performance, particularly its behaviour during the summer.

It is therefore essential for growers to achieve optimum planting and cycle start-up, so that the sunflower is robust in the face of summer climatic contrasts, which will inevitably influence the expression of its potential. These phases are decisive in achieving satisfactory economic results.

A robust sunflower must be able to express its full potential by not being limited by its stand or leaf area, making the best use of summer water resources, while providing benefits to the whole cropping system.

A technical point to support producers

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This technical point describes the definition of a robust sunflower and, above all, how to achieve this objective. Operational knowledge, decision-making rules, strategies... These are all elements that can be used to adapt cultivation techniques to different situations, for successful planting and start-up of the crop.

These references were acquired during experiments carried out by Terres Inovia and its partners, and during field tests with farmers, within the framework of networks run by the institute. This book complements the sunflower growing guide and the Terres Inovia website, to which it regularly refers.

Order the technical point "Successful planting for robust sunflowers"