Safflower is an important rabi oilseed crop grown primarily in India and Mexico. The main varieties grown in India are S 144, A1, A2, and A300. Safflower is cultivated for its oil content of 28-32% and protein content of 14-19%. Maharashtra and Karnataka are the major producers of safflower in India. The crop faces pest problems from safflower aphid and diseases like Alternaria leaf spot. Breeding objectives for safflower include developing varieties with higher yields, oil content, thermo-insensitivity and resistance to pests and diseases.

1. Well come

2. SAFFLOWER
Prepared by,
Dileepkumar H P
ALB-1036

3. Safflower / kusume
 BN:- Carthamus tinctorius
 Family:- Compositae
 Origin:- Mediterranean and Persian gulf
 Chromosome no:- 2n=24
 Cultivated spp. May have originated from two related
spp.
1. Carthamus oxycanthus (wild safflower)
2. Carthamus lanatus (saffron thistle)
 Genus carthamus contain about 25 valid spp.

4. Plant and Petal Flower and Seed

5. Production:-
 Important Rabi oil seed crop in India
 India occupies first position in area and production
in the world with 60% of area and 66% production
 Maharashtra and Karnataka are the major growing
states with 94% area and 80% of production
 Productivity is highest in Mexico with 1200kg ha-1
and India with 630kg ha-1

6. Introduction:-
It is one of the humanities oldest crop but world wide
comparatively a minor crop limited in distribution
because of environmental factor and spiny nature of
the crop
Earlier Safflower was grown for its petals used for
coloring beverages, flavoring food and dye cotton and
silk earlier to the availability of low price aniline dyes
Floret contain two coloring material
1.Carthamidin(20%):- a water soluble yellow pigment
2.Carthamin(2%):- a orange red dye insoluble in
water but readily soluble in alkaline solution

7. Important facts about safflower:-
 More or less Day neutral crop but thermo-sensitive so grown as a
rabi crop
 It has got phenotypic plasticity of plant population i.e. variation in
plant density changes structure and branching maintaining same
yield levels
 Tolerant to salinity but sensitive to water logging conditions
 Self pollinated crop with out crossing of 5% to 40% due to the action
of honey bees.
 100 seed weight varies from 2.5 to 8 g
 Both oil and protein content decreases with increased
altitude(Optimum range is 300-1000 above MSL)

8. Uses of safflower:-
 Oil contains 90% PUFA so it is good for heart patients
 Suitably dried flowers used to treat
circulatory, inflammation and muscular
problems
 Leaves are rich in carotene, riboflavin
and vit.C so can be used as leafy vegetable
 Dye extracted from petal is used
for dyeing purposes
 Crop can be grown as guard crop because
of spiny nature
 Used to feed the birds

9. Nutritional aspects:-
Oil content:- 28 - 32 %
Protein :- 14 - 19 %
Crude fiber:- 32 - 34 %
Ash :- 5 -7 %
Oil contains…..
Fatty acid Percentage(%)
Linoleic acid 70-80
Oleic acid 6-8
Palmitic acid 5-8
Stearic acid 2-3

10. Properties of oil:-
particular Values
Color Golden yellow
Specific gravity 0.9
Refractive index 1.4
Iodine value 130-150
Saponification value 186-194
Free fatty acids 0.15-1%

11. Floral morphology:-
 Inflorescence is called as capitulum/head
 it consist of 20 to 100 florets collected
closely together on a circular receptacle
 It is surrounded by several layers of bracts,
outer layer is spined
 A small apical opening through which
corolla tubes of flower protrude
 Color of the flower vary from yellow
to red orange but deep yellow is common
 Stigma is well covered with florets own pollen ensuring self
pollination

12.  1. Plant habit; 2. Flowering branch; 3.Detail of head; 4.
Lower part of flower; 5.Upper part of f lower (opened); 6.
achene(Seed)

13. Anthesis:-
 On main branch flower blooms earlier than on secondary
branches
 Within a capitulum blooming begins in the outer circle of
floret and progresses centripetally.
 Disc florets usually begin to open in the morning and
prolongs till mid day
 Self pollinated crop(90%) with Out crossing of 5-40%
depending on bee activity

14. Breeding objectives:-
 Breeding for spinelessness
 Breeding for developing thermo insensitive varieties
 Breeding for resistance against pest and diseases
 Breeding for higher yields
 Breeding higher oil contents

15. Selfing and crossing techniques:-
Selfing :-
 safflower is a self pollinated crop(90-100%) with an
out crossing of 5-40% depending on bee activity
 Selfing can be achieved through covering the
capitulum with paper cover before opening of the
flowers .
Crossing:-
 Flower should be emasculated before anthesis i.e.
stamens are removed without damaging stigma.
 In the next morning freshly collected pollens are
dusted and head is coved with paper cover.

16. Varieties and hybrids:-
Varieties:-
S 144, A1, A2, A300, NARI 6, NARI 38, Parbhni
kusum, Phule kusum, Bhima, sharda, PBNS 40, SSF
658
Hybrids:-
DSH 129 :-First hybrid released by directorate of oil
seed research, hyderabad
MKH 11, NARI 11, NARI-NH-1, NARI-NH-15, MRSA-
521

17. Pest and diseases:-
Important pests:-
1.Saflower aphid
(Uroleucon compositae)
Most destructive disease in
all safflower growing area
Resistant var. Bhima, Sharda, Girna, A-1, JSF-1
2.Other pests:-
cutworms, fly, surface grass hopper

18. Important diseases:-
1.Alternaria leaf spot:-
(Alternaria carthami)
2.Other diseases:-
Fusarium wilt,
Cercospora leaf spot, Ramularia
leaf spot , rust. Alternaria leaf spot
Cercospora leaf spot Wilt Leaf rust

19. Institutes working on safflower:-
 Agricultural research station. Annigeri, Dharwad.
 Directorate of oil seed research, Hyderabad
 Mahathma phule krishi vidyapeeth, maharashtra
References:-
 Field crop production(commercial crops) vol-2
-Dr. Rajendra prasad, ICAR publication.
 WWW.Google.com

20. Thank you…..!