DOI: 10.36347/sjavs.2016.v03i04.012

Pages: 332-336

The study was conducted at the Demonstration Farm, Sudan University of Science and Technology, College of Agricultural Studies, Shambat, during two successive summer and winter growing seasons of 2012 to study the effect of bio-fertilizer (Effective Microorganisms, EM) on growth and yield of two irrigated sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) hybrids. The experiment was arranged in split-plot based on a randomized complete block design with four replications. The main plots were allotted for the two sunflower hybrids, Hysun 33 (V1) and Shambat (V2). While the subplots for bio-fertilizer treatments. The liquid bio-fertilizer levels were (Zero, 06.25, 12.5, 18.75 and 25.00 L/Ha) corresponding to F1, F2, F3,F4 and F5 treatments. The result showed that, leaf area index (LAI) and stem diameter were higher in Hysun-33 than Shambat while reverse trend was observed in case of number of seeds per head. Also, stem diameter, LAI, number of seeds per head, seeds oil content were affected by bio-fertilizer application. The highest, LAI, stem diameter was recorded in F3x V1 treatment while the highest seeds oil content was higher in hysun-33 than Shambat hydrid particularly under F3 ad F4 bio-fertilizer levels.