Image courtesy of Brigham Young University photo courtesy of Jose Briones Many disease-causing fungi and bacteria are associated with sunflower, but, fortunately, only a few are of economic significance, as long as a strict crop rotation is followed. However, some of the biggest pests sunflower producers face are birds. Seeds are exposed and the large head serves as a perch during feeding. As a result, a number of control measures have been devised to handle the feathered pests. Access trails are left in large fields to aid in scaring birds from the center of the field.
Weeds have to be kept in check because they are often a food source before the crop matures.
Crop stubble is left standing, and lure crops are planted to attract birds away from unharvested fields. Numerous methods are employed to frighten the birds away from the sunflowers, including cannons that automatically detonate a gas to produce loud explosions. These devices range from relatively simple to deluxe models with photoelectric regulators and programmable firing sequences. Speakers that broadcast bird distress calls are used in the smaller fields. Low-flying planes are used to chase flocks from sunflower fields, an effective technique when combined with other methods, such as pyrotechnic devices.