An investigation was made on a form, near Santiago de Chile, during 1944-1945 to determine the proper time to harvest sunflower. The material used in this work consisted oí the two following varieties; Kruglik and Gray Striped. This study included six harvest periods, the first of which was made at the beginning of the florcscence and the last when the plants were completely mature. The appearance of thc "heads" and "seeds" were registered and the following factors determined for each harvest; 1) stalk length and diameter.2) seed yield, humidity, storage characteristics, kernel content, germinatian, oil content and oil yield.
The results indicate that: 1) the greatest stalk length nnd diameter were reached befare florescence. 2) at the moment in which the base of the "heads" are yellowish and the bracts brown, the maximum seed yield, the minimum vain seed, the greatest kernel content, the greatest hectoliter weigh, and the best 1.000 kermcl weight were reached. The humidity of the seed, harvested in this country by the method of cutting off the heads and leaving them on the stalks, must be abaut 30-45%. The oil cantent and yield constantly increased as the plant approached complete maturity. The best germination and greatest vigor of the resulting seedlings were reached when the base of the heads was yellowish and, in general, the bracts were yet green.
The best moment to harvest sunflower in orden to produce good "seed" is when the heads are yellowish and the bracts are brown. The seeds at this stage are excessively humid and must be dried befare storage.
When the plants remain unharvester up to the time when they are completely mature, great losses result from the shelling out and scattering of the kernels. |
ChileanJAR
