Sunflower is an annual crop seen as especially attractive because of its short growing season, relatively low water requirements, and tolerance to stresses induced by both high and low temperatures. The deep root structure seeks out and captures residual nitrogen in the soil that other crops cannot reach, benefitting the plant and also reducing nitrogen leaching into water supplies. While most commercial sunflower production is currently in northern states, it also will fit into crop rotations in southern areas, including double-cropping. Agronomics for sunflower production have been refined over decades, allowing for large production areas in diverse environments.
