Influence of irrigation and nitrogen on safflower (Carthamus tinctorius)

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is sown at the distance of 45 cm on 6 and 11 one of the most suitable oilseed crops for November and harvested on 9 and 4 May in drylands owing to its deep root-system and respective years. In the 2 years, first irriga- spiny nature of leaves. However, high-yield- tion was applied on 21 December and 7 ing, spineless varieties of safflower have January, i.e. 45 and 57 days after sowing, re- been developed to make this crop widely spectively. In the respective seasons second adaptable. Since most of the information irrigation was applied on 19 and 25 March, available on imgation and nutrient manage- i.e. 133 and 134 days. During 2 respective ment aspects of safflower pertains to spiny seasons a total rainfall of 99.3 mm in 7 varieties, it becomes imperative to study the splits and 59.5 mrn in 5 splits was recorded. effect of imgation and doses and time of ni- Safflower responded to irrigation and trogen application on recently developed showed improvement in seed yield (Table spineless varieties of safflower. 1). However, results were significant during An experiment was conducted during the winter season (rabi) of 1990-91 and Table 1. Effect of irrigation and doses and time of N application on seed yield of safflower 1991-92 at New Delhi. The soil was sandy loam, low in organic carbon (0.42%) and Treatment Seed yield (qtha) medium in available phosphorus (18.0 kg PI ha) and potassium (213 kg Wha), with pH 7.8. Bulk density, field capacity and wilting Irrigation point of soil up to 30 cm depth was 1.51 gl No irrigation 14.1 cc, 19 and 7% respectively. 1 irrigation (rosette 14.0 The treatments comprising 4 levels of ir- termination) rigation (no imgation, 1 imgation at rosette 1 irrigation (flowering) 15.6 termination, 1 at flowering and 2 irriga- 2 irrigations 1 each 14.9 at rossette termination + tions, 1 each at resette termination and flow- flowering ering stages) formed the main plots. Five CD (P = 0.05) NS treatments of nitrogen, viz. 2 doses (40 and 80 kgtha) in combination with 2 stages of its N application application (sole at sowing and half at sow- 0 12.1 ing + half at first irrigation) along with 1 40 kglha, sole 13.7 absolute control, were assigned to snbplots. 80 kglha, sole 15.8 Thus 20 treatment combinations were tested 40 kglha, split 15.6 in split-plot design, replicated 3 times. 80 kglha, split 16.2 Spineless variety JSI 7 of safflower was CD (P = 0.05) 1.5