THE ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF GROWING SUNFLOWER HYBRIDS DEPENDING ON THE WEED CONTROL SYSTEM

Abstract

Purpose. To investigate the cost-effectiveness of herbicide control systems in the cultivation of sunflower hybrids. Methods. The research was conducted during 2022–2024 in the fields of the FG "Plakushchenko V.V.", located in the territory of the Odessa region, Velykymykhailivskyi district, in the village of Grebenyky. Field experiment design method – split plots. Main plots (factor A) – sunflower hybrids of mid-early (P64LE25 and Barbatti) and mid-season (P64LP130 and Siberik) groups; sub-plots (factor B) – pre-emergence herbicide application: (control variants (without herbicide application and manual weeding), active ingredient (a.i.) S-metolachlor 960 g/l, rate 1.6 l/ha, a.i. Pendimethalin 330 g/l, rate 6.0 l/ha, a.i. Dimethenamid-P 720 g/l, rate 1.2 l/ha), Oxyfluorfen 240 g/l, rate 1.0 l/ha; sub-subplots (factor C) – application of post-emergence herbicide: (control variants (without herbicide application and manual weeding), d.r. Tribenuron-methyl 750 g/kg, rate 35 g/ha and d.r. Imazapyr 15 g/l + Imazamox 33 g/l, rate 1.1 l/ha). Research results. The efficiency of sunflower cultivation depended significantly on the weed control system. In the control plots where no herbicides were used, the yield was only 0.88–0.98 t/ha, with a net profit of 6,820–9,170 UAH/ha, whilst the production cost was the highest at 14.14–15.75 UAH/kg, indicating that growing sunflowers without crop protection is not economically viable. The use of pre-emergence herbicides alone increased yield to 1.19–1.31 t/ha, net profit to 14,046.25–17,042.50 UAH/ha, whilst the production cost fell to 12.48–15.53 UAH/kg. The most effective product was dimethenamid-P, which yielded 1.31 t/ha and a net profit of 17,042.50 UAH/ha. The combination of pre-emergence herbicides with tribenuron- methyl increased yield to 1.59–1.72 t/ha, net profit to 23,622.50–26,560.00 UAH/ha, whilst the production cost fell to 10.02–12.24 UAH/kg. The highest economic performance among the herbicide systems was achieved by combining pre-emergence herbicides with a mixture of imazapyr and imazamox, yielding 1.70–1.82 t/ha and a net profit of 26,090.00–28,910.00 UAH/ha, whilst the production cost was only 9.56–11.81 UAH/kg. The maximum economic benefit was achieved when dimethenamid- P was applied in combination with this mixture: a yield of 1.82 t/ha, a net profit of 28,910 UAH/ha, and a production cost of 9.90 UAH/kg. On average over the years of the study, the most economically viable hybrid was P64LP130, which yielded 1.53 t/ha, generated a net profit of 22,137.73 UAH/ha and had the lowest production cost of 11.56 UAH/kg. The hybrid ‘Saiberik’ recorded the lowest economic performance: 1.35 t/ha, a net profit of 17,843.64 UAH/ha and a production cost of 12.93 UAH/kg. Conclusions. Among pre-emergence herbicides, dimethenamid- P delivered the highest crop value of 38,030.83 UAH/ha and a net profit of 24,170.83 UAH/ha. The highest economic performance among herbicide systems was achieved by combining pre-emergence herbicides with a mixture of imazapyr + imazamox, yielding a net profit of 26,090.00–28,910.00 UAH/ha and a production cost of 9.56–11.81 UAH/kg. The maximum economic benefit was achieved when dimethenamid-P was applied in combination with imazapyr + imazamox – a net profit of 28,910 UAH/ha and a production cost of 9.90 UAH/kg. On average over the years of the study, the most economically viable hybrid was P64LP130, with a net profit of 22,137.73 UAH/ha and the lowest production cost of 11.56 UAH/kg.