LSFH-171
A Latur (Maharashtra) hybrid released in 2016. It is recommended for eight states and has the best rainfed average of the five sunflowers here (18–19 q/ha).
Quick facts
- Crop
- Sunflower
- Type
- Hybrid
- Season
- Kharif
- Maturity period
- Kharif 90–95 days, rabi 95–100 days
- Seed rate
- Hybrid seed: 5 kg/ha rainfed, 4 kg/ha irrigated (Tamil Nadu guide; no separate rate is published for this hybrid)
- Expected yield
- 18–19 q/ha average rainfed, 20–24 q/ha potential irrigated
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Disease resistance
- No disease rating in the IIOR datasheet; used as a downy mildew check hybrid at Latur
- Release
- Released 2016 by the Oilseeds Research Station, Latur (Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani). Notified as 1379(E) on 27 March 2018.
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
About this variety
LSFH-171 is a sunflower hybrid (CMS-17A × RHA-1-1) bred at the Oilseeds Research Station, Latur, under Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani. The prefix LSFH stands for Latur Sunflower Hybrid. It was released in 2016 and notified as 1379(E) on 27 March 2018 for Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha. ICAR-IIOR gives an average rainfed yield of 18–19 q/ha, a potential of 20–24 q/ha irrigated, and 34–35% oil. It flowers in 55–60 days in kharif and 60–65 days in rabi, and matures in 90–95 days in kharif and 95–100 days in rabi. The 100-seed weight is 6.0–7.0 g, the heaviest of the five. In a rabi–summer evaluation in West Bengal it gave about 719 kg oil per hectare, more than the KBSH-44 and DRSH-1 checks.
Should you pick this variety?
Choose LSFH-171 if your field is rainfed or only lightly irrigated, since IIOR gives it an average of 18–19 q/ha without irrigation, the best of the five sunflowers here. It has the heaviest seed (6.0–7.0 g per 100 seeds) and an official recommendation in eight states. Its oil is the lowest (34–35%), so if the mill pays on oil percentage, look at DRSH-1 or KBSH-53 instead. Buy fresh seed every season.
Sowing & cultivation
- Sowing timeIn Tamil Nadu, irrigated hybrids are sown June–July, October–November, December–January and April–May. Other states follow their own kharif and rabi dates
- Seed rateHybrid seed: 5 kg/ha rainfed, 4 kg/ha irrigated (Tamil Nadu guide; no separate rate is published for this hybrid)
- Spacing60 cm between rows, 30 cm between plants
- Sowing methodPut 2 seeds per hole at 3 cm depth along the furrow, then thin to one healthy seedling on day 10
- IrrigationIrrigate before sowing, then a life irrigation, then on day 20, at early bud, twice at flowering and twice during seed filling. Flowering is the critical stage
- FertilizerIrrigated hybrid: 60:90:60 kg N:P2O5:K2O per hectare. Rainfed hybrid: 40:50:40. Add 12.5 t/ha FYM before the last ploughing
Advantages & considerations
Things to consider
- Oil content (34–35%) is the lowest of the five sunflowers here. Its strength is seed weight and total oil per hectare, not oil percentage.
- The 20–24 q/ha figure is the irrigated potential. The 18–19 q/ha figure is the rainfed average, so the gap between average and potential is small.
- It is used as a check hybrid for downy mildew at Latur, but the IIOR datasheet gives no disease rating, so do not treat it as a downy mildew-proof hybrid.
- The 719 kg oil per hectare figure comes from one West Bengal rabi–summer evaluation. It is a single-location result.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Maharashtra
- Andhra Pradesh
- Telangana
- Karnataka
- Tamil Nadu
- West Bengal
- Bihar
- Odisha
Why a rainfed farmer should look at this one first
Most sunflower hybrids are sold on their irrigated potential. LSFH-171 is one of the few where IIOR prints a rainfed average: 18–19 q/ha.
Compare that with KBSH-53, which gives 10 q/ha rainfed, and DRSH-1 with 12–15 q/ha. For a farmer with no assured irrigation, the rainfed figure is the one that matters.
The trade-off is oil. At 34–35% it is the lowest of the five, so ask your mill whether it pays a premium for oil percentage. If it pays by weight, LSFH-171 is the safest choice for dry fields. Sowing dates in the TNAU guide for Tamil Nadu rainfed crops are June–July and October–November, which is a good starting point if your state has no equivalent guide.
Where the planting material comes from
This is a hybrid, so seed kept from your own harvest will not breed true. The next crop comes up uneven in height, maturity and yield. Buy fresh certified seed every season and keep the bag tag until harvest.
How it compares with other varieties
Every Sunflower variety with a page on this site, side by side. The row for this page is highlighted.
| Variety | Best for | Maturity | Yield | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRSH 1 | The highest-oil hybrid here, for rabi–summer sowing where a mill pays for oil | Kharif 95–98 days, rabi 100–105 days | 12–15 q/ha average, 20–25 q/ha potential | Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra |
| KBSH 44 | A mid-duration hybrid with an all-India recommendation and a long track record | Kharif 90–95 days, rabi 95–100 days | 15–18 q/ha average, 22–28 q/ha potential | Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu |
| KBSH-53 | A high-oil hybrid for irrigated Karnataka fields | 95–100 days (kharif and rabi) | Average 10 q/ha rainfed and 22 q/ha irrigated; potential 20 q/ha rainfed and 27 q/ha irrigated | Karnataka |
| LSFH-171this page | The best rainfed average of the five, recommended for eight states | Kharif 90–95 days, rabi 95–100 days | 18–19 q/ha average rainfed, 20–24 q/ha potential irrigated | Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha |
| Modern (Morden) | A short, early, seed-saving sunflower for tight windows and low-cost farming | Kharif 80–82 days, rabi 85–88 days | 6–8 q/ha average, 12–15 q/ha potential | Karnataka |
Tools for this crop
The numbers you need next: how much seed to buy, whether the lot germinates, what the fertilizer bill looks like and what Sunflower is selling for.
- Seed Rate CalculatorHow much seed your Sunflower plot needs, corrected for the germination of the lot you bought.
- Germination CalculatorTest 100 seeds from the bag before sowing and see whether the lot is fit to sow.
- Seed Variety FinderFilter every Sunflower variety on this site by state, season, duration and soil.
- Fertilizer CalculatorTurn the NPK recommendation for Sunflower into bags of urea, DAP and MOP for your field size.
- Crop CalendarMonth-by-month sowing, weeding, irrigation and harvest dates for Sunflower in your state.
- Crop Profit CalculatorPut your seed, labour and input costs against the yield you expect from this variety.
- Mandi Price CheckerToday's Sunflower rate in your nearest mandi, before you fix a price with a trader.
Subsidy and government support
Schemes that help with the cost of Sunflower seed or planting material. Rules and the application route are on each scheme page.
Frequently asked questions
Where was LSFH-171 actually bred?
At the Oilseeds Research Station, Latur, Maharashtra, under Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani. IIOR lists the station as the developer, and the recommended states now cover eight states instead of Maharashtra alone.
What does "LSFH" stand for?
Latur Sunflower Hybrid — the naming series used by the Latur Oilseeds Research Station.
What is LSFH-171's parentage?
Research papers from the Latur station describe it as a cross of CMS-17A × RHA-1-1.
Why was LSFH-171 developed?
It was bred to be a downy mildew check and a general-purpose hybrid, and it remains the standard check for downy mildew screening in AICRP sunflower trials at Latur. The IIOR datasheet does not carry a disease rating.
What yield does LSFH-171 give?
ICAR-IIOR gives an average of 18–19 q/ha rainfed and a potential of 20–24 q/ha irrigated. The 719 kg/ha figure found in West Bengal trials is oil per hectare, not seed yield.
Which states is LSFH-171 recommended for?
ICAR-IIOR lists Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Bihar and Odisha. It was notified as 1379(E) on 27 March 2018 after its 2016 release.
Why is the oil percentage low but the oil yield high?
Oil yield is seed yield multiplied by oil percentage. LSFH-171 has only 34–35% oil, but it gives a good seed yield and a heavy seed. In a West Bengal rabi–summer evaluation that added up to about 719 kg oil per hectare, more than the KBSH-44 and DRSH-1 checks.
Can I sow LSFH-171 in kharif and rabi?
Yes. IIOR gives flowering at 55–60 days and maturity at 90–95 days in kharif, and flowering at 60–65 days and maturity at 95–100 days in rabi.
Is the seed heavier, and does that matter?
The 100-seed weight is 6.0–7.0 g, against 4.3 g for KBSH-44 and 5.0–5.5 g for DRSH-1. Heavier seed fills the head with fewer seeds for the same weight, but its hull is 33–36%, higher than DRSH-1's 28–30%, which is why the oil percentage is lower.
Sourced from: LSFH-171 — ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research variety datasheet, Sunflower — Crop Production Guide, TNAU Agritech Portal (Tamil Nadu). editorial policy.