Year 2017, Volume 2, Issue 3

Year : 2017
Volume : 2
Issue : 3
   
Authors : Andrii MELNYK, Jones AKUAKU, Anton MAKARCHUK
Title : STATE AND PROSPECTS OF SUNFLOWER PRODUCTION IN UKRAINE
Abstract : Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is among the three most significant oilseed plants in the world (along with, soybean and rapeseed) and one of the two most produced oil crops in the European Union, together with rapeseed. Over the past decade, Ukraine has maintained its position as leading producer and exporter of sunflower seeds and ranks first for sunflower oil consumption globally. A recent United States Department of Agriculture report in 2017 suggest that, Ukraine presently (2015−2016) ranks first in sunflower production globally with a 29.3 % share of total world sunflower output of 40.57 million metric tons. Respectively, Russia and the European Union are currently ranked second and third, with a share of 22.6 % and 18.9 %, followed by Argentina and China that produced 6.7 % each. The main goal in sunflower breeding is to create hybrids with high genetic potential for seed yield above 5 t/ha, but environmental factors seems to limit current sunflower yields to the production range of 1.5–3.0 t/ha. In this study, however, we report new sunflower varieties and hybrids in Ukraine that yield even slightly above 3 t/ha. Thus, a unique sunflower production technology for the forest-steppe of Ukraine for instance now provides sunflower seed yields of 2.9-3.5 t/ha. This became possible after the introduction of new high-yielding varieties and hybrids, and the improvement of sunflower cultivation technologies for specific natural and climatic zones. Hence, further increases in global sunflower seeds output mainly from Ukraine are expected without expansions in limited agricultural lands.
For citation : Melnyk, A., Akuaku, J., Makarchuk, A. (2017). State and prospects of sunflower production in Ukraine. AGROFOR International Journal, Volume 2. Issue No. 3. pp. 116-123. DOI: 10.7251/AGRENG1703116M
Keywords : sunflower,varieties and hybrids, yield, environmental factors, Ukraine
   
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