SUNFLOWER SEEDS
Kenya Seed Company commenced production of White
sunflower in 1958. This was a non seed venture in
an attempt to increase turnover to cover increasing
overheads. The company to-date is a major exporter
of White sunflower for bird feed in Europe. Progressively
the company intensified the production of other varieties
(Striped sunflowers) and more recently the production
of Hybrid sunflower for oil extraction has become
an important enterprise for the company. Sunflowers
are very sensitive to the length of the rainy season
and days to maturity periods vary enormously.
Below is a table showing the most popular varieties
and their placements in oil content and yields.
Variety |
Altitude (M) |
Days to Maturity |
Seed rate kg/hect. |
Oil content |
Yield kg./hect. |
|
Hungarian White |
1500- 2300 |
170 |
5 |
Low |
2000 |
|
Kenya white |
1500-2300 |
166 |
5 |
Low |
2000 |
|
Comet |
1000-2000 |
125 |
5 |
Fair |
1350 |
|
K. fedha (OP) |
1000-2300 |
130 |
5 |
High |
3000 |
|
K. shaba (OP) |
1000-2300 |
130 |
5 |
High |
3000 |
|
Hybrid 8998 |
1-1800 |
120 |
5 |
High |
3000 |
|
Hybrid 898 |
1-1800 |
130 |
5 |
V. High |
2000 |
|
Hybrid 894 |
1-1800 |
128 |
5 |
V. High |
2000 |
|
Hybrid 893 |
1-1800 |
130 |
5 |
V. High |
2000 |
|
