MULTAN: The oil seed crop, sunflower, is almost ready for harvest after maturing and experts have advised farmers to undertake harvest with proper care as even a minor lapse can cause losses.
Sunflower is a sensitive crop that usually gets maturity in 120-130 days, but its maturity duration depends on the variety and weather, says a release issued by media liaison unit of Punjab Agriculture department here Thursday.
Experts said that before embarking on harvesting, farmers should visit the field to see whether it was 100 percent ready for harvest. The crop is ready for harvest when the back of the flowers attains golden colour, half portion of the green leaves fall down, and there is no more milky complexion of the seeds.
Farmers should pluck sunflowers by scythe, a hand driven tool traditionally called 'daranti'. These flowers be spread on a platform, some one foot above the ground for two to three days.
Then these flowers should undergo thresher machine process for separation of seeds. Farmers can also beat flowers by wooden sticks in case of smaller production.
The sunflower seeds be then dried in Sunlight. Combined harvester be applied in case of higher production obtained from a vast area.
Rainfall on the standing crop can also inflict fungus on sunflower seeds or their seeds could be eaten by birds.
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