This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of palm oil or&nbsp;sunflower oil supplementations on digestibility and blood metabolites in crossbred Thai native x brahman bulls fed on TMR used rice straw as a roughage source. Four, 2 year old crossbred Thai native x Brahman bulls were randomly assigned in a 2x2 factorial in 4 x 4 latin square design. Each period of feeding lasted for 21 days to receive four dietary treatments; 3% palm oil, 6% palm oil, 3% sunflower oil and 6% sunflower oil. All animals were fed with TMR ad-libitum. It was found that supplementation of palm oil and sunflower oil had no effect on digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and crude protein (CP). Supplementation resulted in significant (P&lt;0.05) lower acid detergent fiber (ADF) digestibility when feeding with palm oil on the other hand feeding beef cattle with 6% from palm oil and sunflower oil were higher Ether extract (EE) digestibility than 3% from twice oils (P&lt;0.05). Blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen, cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein were not significant different among treatments. Based on this study, supplementing TMR sunflower oil in diets was suitable in beef cattle without any effect ruminal digestibility and blood metabolites.

Feeding either palm oil or sunflower oil on nutrient digestibility and blood metabolites in crossbred Thai native x Brahman bull

<div>Background: In early post-partum buffaloes, feed intake is generally insufficient to meet the energy demand for milk production; as a consequence, body reserves are mobilized which can result in metabolic disorders and poor production performance. In order to enhance energy intake and reduce the detrimental effects of a negative energy balance, buffalo diets may be supplemented with lipids/vegetable oil. Some reported benefits of vegetable oil supplementation include increased energy concentration in the diet, reduced supply of rapidly fermentable carbohydrates, and better productive performance. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an important oilseed crop in India. Sunflower seed contains about 48-53 percent of edible oil. Recent studies demonstrated that sunflower oil supplementation improved the milk production and nutritional quality of milk fat which is beneficial to human health. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) oil supplementation on production performance of lactating Mehsana buffalo. 
 
Methods: Three experimental groups were as, CON: fed on basal diet (Control), SO125: fed basal diet supplemented with 125 ml of sunflower oil/animal/day and SO250: fed basal diet supplemented with 250 ml of sunflower oil/animal/day for a period of 90 days. 
 
Result: There was no difference (P&gt;0.05) in DM intake of lactating buffaloes among the dietary treatments. Dietary inclusion of sunflower oils improved milk yield by 17.9 to 20.7%, 6% FCM yield by 16.4 to 22.9% and ECM yield by 16.0 to 23.0% in SO125 and SO250 groups, respectively as compared to the CON. There were no differences (P&gt;0.05) in milk composition and yields of milk components. The milk fatty acid percentages of C20:0 and C24:0 were significantly decreased due feeding of sunflower oil as compared to the CON. Feeding of sunflower oil did not influence milk fat short chain, medium chain, saturated, unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids in lactating Mehsana buffaloes. The serum concentrations of glucose, total proteins, albumin, urea, creatinine, triglycerides, ALT and AST were not affected (P&gt;0.05) by supplementation of sunflower oil, however, serum cholesterol concentration was significantly (P&lt;0.01) increased in SO125 and SO250 groups as compared to the CON group.</div>

Effect of Sunflower Oil Supplementation on Milk Production, Composition, Fatty Acid Profile and Blood Metabolites of Mehsana Buffaloes

Water plays an important role in augmenting the growth and development of crop plants in their different stages of ontogeny. Since water is the life line for accruing desired yield levels, its time of application and method of application plays an important role in increasing the yield levels besides saving water. Further, water is the prime natural resource, which is often costly and limiting input particularly in arid and semi arid regions, hence needs judicious use to reap the maximum benefit from this limiting resource. Off late, among irrigation methods, drip irrigation is receiving better appreciation, acceptance, adaption and plays an important role in saving the water in water scarce areas. It enables the efficient use of limited water with higher water use efficiency. Optimum irrigation levels with suitable method would help in enhancing the economic yield as well as water use efficiency in many field crops including sunflower crop in line with the high value commercial and horticultural crops.

Effect of irrigation (drip/surface) on sunflower growth, seed and oil yield, nutrient uptake and water use efficiency - A review

<div>Edible oil is an integral part of everyday cooking, due to remarkable gain in vegetable oil consumption in India over the past few decades. Accomplishing edible oil requirement of the ever-growing population is a formidable task before the country. On the contrary, annual compound growth rate of major edible oilseeds in India is declining. This phenomenal disparity in demand and supply of vegetable oil in the country is tending to bother through profuse investment on overseas purchase. At this point of time, in order to meet on-growing demand of edible oil, rice bran oil can be the available option before the country. India being the major producer of rice, yields significant amount of bran which contain upto 24% edible grade superior quality vegetable oil. It essentially contains 48.48% oleic acid, 35.26% linoleic acid, 14.54% palmitic acid, 8.15% free fatty acid besides contain good number of antioxidants such as tocopherols, tocotrienols and oryzanol. Therefore, rice bran oil became the integral part of oil market in India and abroad. Inspite of its benefits, it has not been fully exploited. If its potentiality is harnessed completely, rice bran oil could emerge as silver lining of Indian edible oil economy.</div>

<div>Rice Bran Oil- A Silver Lining to Indian Edible Oil Economy: A Review</div>

<div>Background: Fat and oil are commonly used in poultry diets to increase energy density and also to increase the palatability of feed, feed efficiency and for deposition of fat in broilers. Thus a study was proposed to find the effects of dietary replacement of saturated fatty acid rich palm oil (PO) by omega-3 rich rapeseed oil (RO) on growth performance and economics in broilers. 
 
Method: The growth performance feeding trial was conducted in 160 day-old broilers (vencobb 400) with four treatment groups (G1, G2, G3 and G4) with four replicates of ten chicks each. The basal diet (R1) was prepared with palm oil included at the rate of 1.5, 3, and 4.5 per cent in pre-starter, starter and finisher ration, respectively and fed to G1. The other treatment groups G2, G3 and G4 received R2, R3 and R4 experimental rations respectively. The experimental rations R2, R3 and R4 were prepared with rapeseed oil replacing 25, 50 and 100 per cent of palm oil which was included in R1. 
 
Result: The broiler ration prepared with rapeseed oil at 50 and 100 per cent level (G3 and G4) replacing palm oil showed increased body weight gain (P&lt;0.01) and better feed conversion ratio (P&lt; 0.05) than G1 group. There was no significant difference in the feed intake among the different treatment groups. Profit per kg live weight in G3 (Rs.12.06) and G4 (Rs.11.14) was more than G1 (Rs.8.21) and G2 (Rs.6.57). The supplementation of omega-3 rich rapeseed oil had significantly improved the performance of broilers.</div>

<div>Influence of Dietary Substitution of Palm Oil by Rapeseed Oil at Different Levels on Growth Performance and Economics of Broilers</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Background: In Southeast Asia a high level with the agricultural productivity, especially rice straw is produced for livestock feed such as buffalo and beef cattle. However rice straw is poor quality (low in protein and its high silica content). Subsequently, ruminant nutritionists have established to increase the potential of poor quality roughages for animal feeding such as Total mixed ration (TMR) using rice straw as a roughage source with vegetable oils to increase energy density in the diet, that can improve by produced for ruminant diet. Methods: In this field-laboratory investigation during 2017-2018. Three animals, one and half year old with live weight 120 &plusmn; 15.50 kg, were randomly assigned in 3 x 3 latin square design. Each period of feeding lasted for 21 days. During the experimental periods, all cattle were fed total mixed ration (TMR; containing rice straw: concentrate ratio as 40:60), adding soybean oil (SO), palm oil (PO) and sunflower oil (SFO) supplementations. Total fat in TMRs were at 3 percentages. &nbsp;&nbsp; Result: Our investigations were to evaluate the effect of soybean oil (SO), palm oil (PO) and sunflower oil (SFO) supplementations at 3 percentages of total fat in total mixed ration on voluntary feed intake, digestibility, blood profile and fatty acid compositions in the plasma of crossbred Thai native x American Brahman Cattle. The results revealed that treatments &nbsp;did not affect voluntary feed intake (kgDM/head/day; g/KgW0.75) (P&gt;0.05), but feeding with soybean oil, it was non significantly higher (2.94 kgDM/day). Additionally, nutrient intake and apparent digestibility of organic matter (OM),crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and rumen fermentation except total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) &nbsp;were not affected &nbsp;among all the three treatments, but dry matter (DM) digestibility in soybean and palm oil group animals were recorded significantly higher (P&lt;0.01) than sunflower oil. However blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen, cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein and fatty acid composition in plasma were not influenced due to treatments (P&gt;0.05). Based on this study, feeding beef cattle with SO, PO and SFO should not exceed 3%? in TMR to achieve 7% without any adverse effect on nutrient utilization, rumen fermentation, blood &nbsp;profile and fatty acid compositions in plasma.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Effect of Supplementation of Several Edible Plant Oils on Nutrient Utilization and Blood Profile of Beef Cattle</div>

<div>Sunflower is an important crop cultivated all over world owing to its versatile nature of adaptation to different agro-climatic and soil conditions. In India sunflower gains momentum as an edible oil and ranks fourth substantially by reducing the shortage of vegetable oil. Nutritionally sunflower oil benefits human due to presence of high linoleic acid content and absence of linolenic acid content. The productivity is lower due to different factors among which nutrient management especially sulphur that plays pivot role in governing the growth, yield and quality of sunflower. Sulphur contains aminoacids viz., cystein, methionine, cystine, vitamins B, biotin and thiamine. The protolytic enzymes aids in improving the oil content, protein content and quality of seeds by sulphur supplement. Extensive investigations of research scientist on sulphur levels were critically reviewed. Application of sulphur at 40 to 60 kg ha-1 was found to increase the growth and yield attributes, yield, quality as well as higher benefit cost ratio sustaining the livelihood of sunflower growers.</div>

Effect of Sulphur Levels on Growth, Yield Parameters, Yield, Nutrient Uptake, Quality and Economics of Sunflower: A Review

<div>Background: Indian vegetable oil economy is world&rsquo;s fourth largest after USA, China and Brazil. India was a net exporter of oilseeds and edible oils till 1960s but with stagnation in production and increasing demand for edible oils, India became net importer of edible oils by late-1970s. The government decided to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oilseeds through various policy/schemes such as NODP (1984-85), TMO (1986), OPDP (1991-92) was launched under the TMOP and ISOPOM (2004-05). Karnataka is the sixth largest state in area and production of oilseeds crops in India. Among the oilseed crops, sunflower accounts highest in area (36.71%) and production in state. Hence, the study was undertaken in Karnataka state with the objectives of assessing the growth and instability of sunflower production. 
 
Methods: The growth trends and instability analysis of sunflower was corrie out in Karnataka. The four divisions of the states viz., Bangalore, Mysore, Belgaum and Gulbarga with 30 districts were selected for the study. The data pertaining to area, production and yield of sunflower were collected from many secondary sources and analysed for the period I: 1975-1995 (Pre-WTO), Period II: 1995-2015 (Post-WTO) and whole period: 1975-2015 by using CAGR and CDI Index.&nbsp;</div>

<div style="text-align:justify"> 
Result: The growth pattern of sunflower showed a downward trend with respect of area, production and yield in all the four regions of the state during the period II than compared to period I. It might reflect the adverse effect of modern technology on production of sunflower in Karnataka state. The study indicated that the fluctuation in area, production and yield of sunflower were higher during post-WTO period when compared to pre-WTO period in across the districts and divisions. The mixed trend was observed during whole period with respect to growth and instability of sunflower production.</div>

<div>Growth Trends and Instability of Sunflower in Karnataka: An Inter-Districts and Inter-Divisional Analysis</div>

Background: The article presents the results of field experiments on the use of micro fertilizers on sunflower. The object of the study was a hybrid of sunflower Fausto from the company &ldquo;Strube DandS GMBH&rdquo;. Field experiments were carried out with micro fertilizers of the German company &ldquo;Lebozol&rdquo;, the Russian &ldquo;Polydon Agro&rdquo; and the Lithuanian &ldquo;Acoustic Biotechnologies (brand Humic Land&rdquo;). 
 
Methods: Foliar application with micronutrients and their treatment of sunflower seeds and their combination were studied. As studies have shown, the variant with the use of micronutrients for seed dressing against the background of foliar application showed the greatest effectiveness. Foliar application without treating seeds with trace elements did not significantly increase the yield and oil yield. Also, the oil content of the seeds according to the variants in the years of research did not differ significantly. In general, the condition of sunflower plants during the years of research before harvesting was satisfactory. At the same time, it should be noted that in 2022 abnormal precipitation affected the quality of sunflower seeds. 
 
Result: The analysis of the obtained results indicates the need for further search for optimal ways of using micronutrients to increase the yield of sunflower and its quality. It should also be taken into account the fact that according to economic calculations, the costs of applying micro fertilizers during seed treatment will not exceed 10 rubles/ha and with &agrave;oliar application they will amount to 1300-2300 rubles/ha. accordingly.

Sunflower Yield Depending on the Application of Micronutrients

Background: Sunflower is a major oilseed crop globally, ranking second after soybean in terms of oil production. Sunflower seeds are important because they contain a high percentage of oil-over 50% in some improved cultivars-along with high palatability and nutritional value. 
&nbsp; 
Methods: A field trial was conducted to evaluate the performance of three promising sunflower cultivars (Jude, Taqa1 and Taqa2) under three levels of phosphate fertilization (0, 100 and 150 kg P2O5&nbsp;ha-1). A split-plot design in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates was used. Main plots included phosphate fertilization levels, while subplots contained three sunflower cultivars. 
&nbsp; 
Result: Phosphate fertilization at 150 kg P2O5&nbsp;ha-1&nbsp;significantly improved sunflower seed yield (2916.7 kg ha-1) and oil yield (760.0 kg ha-1), highlighting the role of phosphorus in enhancing productivity and oil formation. The Jude cultivar had the highest values for seed yield (3521.1 kg ha-1), demonstrating its genetic competence in increasing seed productivity. Taqa1 and Taqa2 cultivars outperformed in terms of oil yield (799.99 and 738.95 kg ha-1, respectively) and the lowest percentage of empty seeds. The interaction effect showed that the Taqa2 cultivar with 150 kg P2O5&nbsp;ha-1&nbsp;had the highest oil yield (844.17 kg ha-1). It can be suggested to sow Taqa1 and Taqa2 cultivars with the addition of 150 kg P2O5&nbsp;ha-1&nbsp;to achieve the highest sunflower oil production in the experiment site.