Effect of Living Mulch on Grain Yield, Yield Components and Some Morphological Traits of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) Cultivars

The effect of fenugreek as living mulch on Grain yield, yield components and some morphological traits of sunflower, were evaluated by factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the Research Farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University during the 2016-2017 growing season. Treatments were sowing of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graceum L.) as living mulch in four levels of control (without living mulch), 15 days before sowing, simultaneous sowing and 15 days after sowing of sunflower and three cultivars of sunflower (Farokh, Progress and Lakomka). The result showed that head diameter, number of head per plant, plant height, grain and biological yields of sunflower varieties were significantly affected by living mulch treatments. The highest head diameter (20.2 cm), number of head per plant (2.04), grain (3834 kg.ha-1) and biological yield (14150 kg.ha-1) were obtained by simultaneous sowing of fenugreek with sunflower. The simultaneous sowing of fenugreek with sunflower increased grain yield by 39% compared with control, while sowing fenugreek 15 days before sowing of sunflower reduced the grain yield by 2% compared to the control. Among sunflower cultivars, the highest grain yield (3426 kg.ha-1) was achieved by Lakomka cultivar. Genarally, the results showed that selection of suitable cultivar and sowing date of living mulch could improve the sunflower yield. Regarding the effect of fenugreek sowing date on sunflower traits and the different responses of cultivars studied, simultaneous sowing of fenugreek with sunflower Lakomka had the highest grain yield in experimental climatic conditions.