Nitrogen use by sunflower at different stages of growth

Let’s look at the main stages of growth and the percentage of nitrogen consumption of the total consumption for the entire growing season.

• Seedlings (V1 – V4)

At the initial stage of growth, from the moment of germination to the formation of the fourth leaf, sunflower consumes about 10% of the total amount of nitrogen.

During this period, the plant needs nitrogen for the formation of the root system and the initial growth of the leaf mass.

• Leaf growth stage (V5 – Vn)

From the formation of the fourth leaf to the beginning of budding, sunflower consumes a significant part of nitrogen – about 30%.

During this period, active growth of the leaf mass occurs, which is the main site of photosynthesis.

• The budding phase (R1-R5)

From the beginning of budding to flowering, sunflower consumes about 20% of nitrogen.

This stage is characterized by bud formation and preparation for flowering, which requires significant resources for development.

• Flowering phase (R5-R6)

Sunflower uses about 20% of its nitrogen during flowering.

This stage includes pollination and seed formation, which also requires nitrogen, but in smaller quantities compared to the previous stages.

• Seed filling (R6 – R9)

During the seed filling stage, from flowering to full maturity, sunflower consumes the last 20% of nitrogen.

During this period, the plant concentrates its resources on seed formation and filling.

Remember.

Too much nitrogen can actually reduce the concentration of oil in the seeds, which will reduce the quality of the crop