Sunflowers in Missouri have a long history dating back at least 1,000 years to Native American field cultivation. Modern fresh sunflower seed cultivars were not widely grown in the suppliers United States until the 1970s, when the Southeast Missouri Sunflower Growers Association experimented with processing sunflower oilseeds in 1926. Sunflowers are well adapted to Missouri conditions, but the northern and western plains are currently the main growing area. In recent years, Missouri has increased sunflower acreage and now produces thousands of acres. The new government policy opens up access to oilseed deficit coverage (LDP) credits, primarily for sunflowers, giving sunflowers an economic advantage. A growing sunflower market that uses both oilseeds and canary seeds is creating new opportunities to add sunflowers to Missouri's crop rotation. Sunflowers can also be planted from April to July as a double crop after wheat. Adding sunflower to an existing crop rotation can reduce pests such as corn borers and soybean nematodes. Sunflowers have a shorter growing season than most crops, so they can be planted later or harvested earlier, spreading the workload.
Sunflowers are particularly efficient at extracting water from sandy soils and can often tolerate drier conditions than other crops. Production Guide The sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is a broad-leaved plant that emerges from the ground with two large cotyledons. Greening takes 4-5 days when planted 1 inch deep in warm soil, but may take several days longer in cooler soil or deeper. Loosening the soil makes it difficult to pull large seedlings out of the ground. Sunflowers grow quickly and produce large, rough leaves. Missouri sunflowers planted in early June will flower in early August and reach maturity in late September, about two months later. Modern sunflower varieties in Missouri reach an average height of 6 feet, varying from 5 to 7 feet depending on planting date and soil conditions. After reaching sufficient height and flowering, the heads of commercial cultivars turn downward to make it harder for the birds to eat the seeds. Sunflower fields in full bloom are spectacular and many farmers and passers-by say they enjoy looking at the flowers. Each sunflower head or inflorescence is actually made up of two types of flowers. What looks like yellow petals on the edge of the head is actually a single flower. The face of the head consists of hundreds of disc-shaped flowers, each of which grows into a seed (pimple). Commercial sunflowers have self-pollinating flowers and do not require insect pollination, although some studies have shown that bee pollination increases yields slightly. They turn with or follow the sun at the start, but then stay east instead of down.
statement Sunflowers Of the approximately 3 million acres of sunflowers grown annually in the United States, up to 90% are oilseeds. Most oilseeds are used to produce birdseed, but most of the seeds are processed into vegetable oil, either dehulled, partially dehulled, or left in their shells for processing. Once shelled, they become a very low value by-product and are often burned as fuel. use vegetable oil Sunflower oil for cooking first appeared in Russia in the 19th century. Although the sunflower is native to the United States, it has not been considered a source of cooking oil for the past 50 years. In fact, it was only 25 years ago that it was widely cultivated for this purpose. Sunflower oil has less saturated fat than most vegetable oils. The development of the NuSun variety, which contains a moderate amount of oleic acid, has increased interest in the use of sunflower oil in cooking. The main benefit of NuSun oil is that it is more stable than most vegetable oils and does not need to be hydrogenated to extend shelf life. Most major seed companies offer many varieties of sunflowers. Almost all commercial sunflower varieties are hybrids, so new seeds must be purchased each year. Companies are actively producing new sunflower hybrids with disease resistance and high yield. Several varieties with unique seed oil properties have been developed through conventional (rather than biotechnology) breeding, including NuSun sunflowers, which contain more oleic acid in their seed oil than conventional oilseed sunflowers. 
in oleic acid (high oleic acid grades are also available for special food and industrial applications). Comparison of breed trials in Missouri has shown significant differences in productivity between existing breeds that are similar in height and maturity. No, but in the vegetable oil market, the choice of oilseed can be important. For Missouri varieties and a list of seed sources, see Jefferson Institute Sunflower Variety Publications (tel. 573-449-3518). Landing Sunflowers should be planted 1 to 1/2 inch deep. Row spacing studies show that sunflowers perform poorly in narrow rows, but wide rows are suitable for weed control or row crops. Not sensitive to speed increase. The seed rate varies from 15,000 to 25,000 plants per hectare. Sunflower seed sizes vary, so planting rates by weight should consider seed size, which should be about 3-4 pounds per acre. Most sunflower seeds available are size 3 or 4. Seed size can affect the type of implant changes required, such as purchasing new wafers or toothpicks. Sunflower planting can be started anytime after the soil warms to 50°F (April) through mid-July. Planting sunflowers on different days is a good idea to reduce the risk and spread the workload. When planted early, sunflowers can be harvested before corn and soybeans, reducing bird damage.
Late planting allows you to plant after other crops are ready and less likely to be damaged by sunflower moths. Planting two crops after wheat is beneficial for sunflower. In northern Missouri, you can do this because sunflowers are more fall hardy than soybeans. fertility Sunflower has moderate fertility requirements but is sensitive to nitrogen. After soybeans in the rotation about 50-70 pounds. One hectare is enough. For non-vegetables, about 80-100 pounds of nitrogen per acre is sufficient. Animal manure and legume cover crops can reduce or eliminate the need for nitrogen fertilizer, and legumes can grow for two months, then incorporate legumes and plant sunflowers in early June. For sunflowers planted twice after wheat, apply about 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre or about 80 pounds when wheat is cut. If the remains of the sunflower crop are planted without processing, this is not one hectare. P and K should be applied according to soil test guidelines. Since wheat was harvested twice last fall, phosphorus and potassium can be added to sunflowers. In sandy soils, sunflowers often respond to additional potash fertilizers. It tolerates soils with a pH less than 6 well, but if the pH is less than 6.0, lime treatment should be considered to increase the availability of nutrients in the soil. Sunflower starter fertilizers are usually only useful in fresh soil in early spring and should not come into direct contact with the seed. It is usually only useful in cool soils in early spring and should not be in direct contact with the seed.
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