PRODUCTION POTENTIAL, LAND UTILIZATION AND ECONOMICS OF FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT IN SUMMER SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS-ANNUUS) BASED CROP SEQUENCES

A field experiment was conducted during 1991-92 and 1992-93 to study t he effect of 50% [N 37.5 kg/ha. P 19.80 kg/ha. K 12.45 kg/ha (N37.5P19 .80K12.45)], 100% (N75.0P39.60K24.90) and 150% (N112.50P59.40K37.35 kg /ha) fertilizer applied to base crop of summer sunflower (Helianthus a nnuus L.) on the productivity and returns of succeeding rainy-season c rops. The fertilizer levels did not affect the seed yield of 'MSFH 17' sunflower both during summer and rainy seasons. Application of recomm ended dose (N75P39.60K24.50) of fertilizer to base crop gave higher yi eld of succeeding sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] and pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.], whereas 150% recommended dose (N112.50P5 9.40K37.35) gave higher yields of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and castor (Ricinus communis L.) compared with 50 and 100% doses. Though s unflower-castor system gave the highest land-utilization index (0.68), it was not productive as well as remunerative. Sunflower-groundnut se quence gave the highest net return (Rs 23 391/ha), followed by sunflow er-sunflower sequence (Rs 12 168/ha).