Sunflower annual: features of cultivation, description and species

Surprisingly beautiful are the fields with sunflowers - plants, the inflorescences of which are similar to the sun from children's pictures. This golden yellow miracle is not only superb in appearance, it is also very useful.

In this article we will describe what the sunflower is. Annual or perennial this plant, in what conditions it grows, what kinds, kinds, there are, you will learn, having read it.

The history of sunflower oil production began in England at the end of the eighteenth century. Since then, a variety of varieties of sunflower, which combines high resistance to a variety of pests and diseases.

General information

Sunflower one-year is the most important oilseed culture in the world . Responsive and grateful to the applied agronomic technologies, it is very useful and fertile. Not for nothing in heraldry flower of sunflower symbolizes prosperity and fertility. In addition, a surprisingly sun-like plant in any weather on any site creates a bright and warm atmosphere.

Sunflower is grown practically in all fertile agricultural zones as a raw material for the production of quality vegetable oil. And it is used as a honey, medicinal and ornamental plant.

It turns out that there is another unusual form of it - the tuberous sunflower. It is considered a vegetable culture.

Description

A one-year-old sunflower family (a family of Compositae) is a plant with a good root system, which develops relatively quickly into the soil to 140 cm (and in special conditions - up to 5 meters), and up to a width of 120 cm. The stalk of the plant is high And 4 meters), covered with hairs. Oval heart-shaped leaves are large, with pointed tips.

Inflorescence of a sunflower is a multicolor basket (in oil-bearing forms 15-20 cm in diameter) with a slightly convex or flat disc. Large flowers are located at the edges - asexual, reed, yellow-orange, and the middle ones completely cover the peduncle - bisexual, tubular, considerably smaller.

And a lot of sunflower seeds have a ripe sunflower. An annual herbaceous plant has a seed-fruit, consisting of a core and a shell. Sunflower seeds contain on average 22-27% of butter, and in the best varieties - 46% or more. One basket, depending on the variety and nature of care for sunflower, has from 200 to 7000 achenes.

It has excellent healing properties (astringent, anti-inflammatory, etc.) sunflower one-year. Flower formula: * A (5) T (5) P1.

Sunflower in Russia

Sunflower is a typical plant of steppe and forest-steppe zones with any climatic conditions. About 70% of all crops in the world are concentrated throughout Russia. This plant is the main oilseed plant culture, cultivated in Russia. From its seeds in the country produced food and technical oil.

Remains of processing also do not disappear: cake is used in the preparation of feed for farm animals; Receive potash from ash from stems, as well as fertilizer; The tallest varieties (up to 3-4 m) with a huge green mass are cultivated as a silage crop.

History of Culture

The native land of the plant is the southern territory of North America. In Russia, a one-year old sunflower was introduced in the 18th century from Western Europe. Initially, it was grown as an ornamental plant, but later the sunflower seeds were used as a treat, in connection with which they began to grow more and more in gardens and orchards.

It is known that the cultivation of sunflower as a plant oilseed in field crops is associated with the name of the peasant serf Bokarev, who first worked in 1835 oil from it.

The culture of sunflower in the Voronezh and Saratov regions was especially widespread, and then it appeared in other Russian regions.

Sunflower annual: life form

The forms of an annual cultural sunflower are divided into 3 groups:

• Gryzovye, having large achenes with a small nucleus, in connection with which they have a lower oil content. In the pericarp of such a sunflower there is no armor layer, so this plant is relatively easily damaged by caterpillars of sunflower moth;

• Oilseeds have smaller achenes with a shell layer in the pericarp;

• Mezhemuki, representing the transitional forms between oilseeds and gnarzovymi grades.

In Russia, the greatest industrial interest is represented by varieties of oilseed sunflower.

About sunflower varieties

Sunflower annual has a wide variety of varieties cultivated in our time, fully meeting the requirements of existing production.

Distinguish between early and middle-ripening varieties. There are decorative, widely used for decoration of garden and park areas. Below are briefly presented some of the most common cultivars in the crop of sunflowers.

Early-maturing varieties

Sunflower Albatross is distinguished by its rather high oil content. The variety is drought-resistant, not susceptible to disease and damage from pests. Perfectly responds to extensive methods of cultivation. This variety grows up to 195 cm in height.

Buzuluk contains 54% of the seed oil. A fairly drought-resistant variety and has a stable yield in different climatic conditions. Requires fertilizing with fertilizers and quality agricultural equipment. Its height reaches 168 cm.

Medium-ripening varieties

Variety Flagman is distinguished by large volumes of harvest. The oil content in it is 55%. A fairly large plant, reaching 206 cm.

The favorite also has a high oil content - 53%. The variety is different and resistant to hydrolytic breakdown of the oil, and therefore the obtained raw material has a low acid number. The plant grows to 200 cm in height.

Highly productive variety Master holds 54% of the oil in seed. Thankfully responds to the introduction of appropriate mineral fertilizers.

All these varieties are highly tolerant to fomopsis, resistant to broomrape, moth sunflower and powdery mildew.

A little about sunflower tuberous (Jerusalem artichoke)

This species is grown as a fodder, technical or decorative culture. The plant grows well in more southern climatic zones. This is due to the fact that it ripens only from September to November, depending on the variety. The yield of Jerusalem artichoke is up to 35 tons of ripe tubers per hectare.

There is another plant, obtained by crossing, - topinsolve. Tuber large oval shape has such a sunflower.

Sunflower growing: conditions

The plant is demanding for soils, the best of which are sandy loamy chernozems, loamy, rich in various nutrients. Sandy soils are unsuitable. The perfect precursors for sunflower are spring barley, winter wheat, corn and legumes. Repeatedly, in the same place the sunflower is sown not earlier than 7-9 years. Do not sow it on the site of cultivation last year, root crops, Jerusalem artichoke, perennial grasses, namely after crops that have common diseases.

Sunflower is good for fertilizer application. The most dangerous pests for the plant are wireworms, beetle-keeper, shiponoska, sunflower barbel. Against pests and diseases (white rot and rust) apply different methods: agrotechnical, chemical, mechanical.

Sowing

How is the annual sunflower cultivated? Cultivation from seeds immediately in the open field is the main way. You can plant and pre-prepared seedlings.

For sowing, seeds of zoned varieties with a rather high germination and good seeding qualities are used. Seeds, as a rule, should be calibrated, because it is exactly the same in size evenly and amicably rising, and this increases the yield.

Be sure to carry out sowing sunflower after warming the soil to +10 ... +12 ° C, otherwise there will be a decrease in the yield of seeds.

It's curious

The annual sunflower is grown all over the world. But the sunflower is a truly Russian plant, it is also recognized abroad. An integral part of rural landscapes are precisely these yellow flowers with black, centrally located seeds.

In the German amusement park Europa-Park (the largest in Germany and the second in Europe by the number of visitors) there is a Russian zone where sunflowers grow. And in Berlin, in one of its districts, "Sunflower labyrinth" is arranged in the summer: a sunflower field with tangled paths. In Austria there is a park of sunflowers with these plants, and a variety of species and varieties.

Conclusion

The vast fields, covered with blossoming golden sunflowers, look picturesque, bright and cheerful even in inclement weather. Those who wish to decorate their personal plot and create the same bright, cozy and cheerful atmosphere can use beautiful decorative annual sunflowers.

They have surprisingly fluffy yellow flowers, in which the seeds are almost invisible. Even their varieties have nice soft names: Bear, Teddy bear, Mishka Teddy, Bear, Bear Teddy. Indeed, the flower is a golden neat ball, more like a fur pom-pom. Such sunflowers-bears look rather effectively in the flower gardens and blossom for a long time.

This cute, unpretentious flower with bright yellow petals will bring more light, freshness and a lot of solar energy to the garden.