Introduction to major field crops (1+1)

Birds

Sunflower heads attract the birds especially parrots due to the attractive colour. They start damaging the heads just after seed setting. They feed on seeds and make the heads empty, if not taken care. Hence, the crop should be protected for about 20 to 30 days depending upon the duration of seed setting and maturity. Manual scaring of the birds by making sound or noise, use of tape recorder, radio,dolls,coloured shining tapes as light reflecting and covering the crop by nets are most effective methods. However, application of 5.0 per cent Malathion on individual flowers after seed setting is also suggested.