Agronomic Performance of Three Sunflower Varieties (Helianthus annuus L.) in Topes de Collantes Mountain Community, Cuba

Considering the permanent human need to meet the food demands, current efforts are being made to diversify crop productions and foster multipurpose crops. Accordingly, a study was made in Topes de Collantes mountain community, where there is a predominance of farms under agroecological conversion. The aim of this research was to evaluate the morphological and productive indicators of three sunflower varieties for introduction in local agro-forest-grazing systems. The varieties studied were Cubasol 113, Caburé 15, and CIAP JE 94. The treatments for seed germination were dipped in water for 6, 12, and 24 h. The various phenological phases of the crop were determined in the field. Additionally, growth indicators like height, stem thickness, and number of leaves were evaluated; as well as productive indicators capitulum diameter, number of seeds per capitulum, and total seed weight, from which the yields of the three varieties were estimated. Multifactorial and one-way ANOVA analyses were performed for statistical processing. The best treatment was the 12 h dipping, and the best variety was Cubasol 113, with over 70% germination. The height, stem thickness, and leaf number values for the three varieties matched the responses described for them under other edaphoclimatic conditions. The productive values of variety CIAP JE 94 were higher than the values for Cubasol 113 and Caburé 15 under the conditions of the study.