Performance of some Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) Varieties Sown in Late-autumn and Late-spring

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of late-spring and late-autumn sowing times on oil content, seed yield and some yield components of three safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) varieties at Field Crops Department, Agricultural Faculty of Ankara University. Yenice, Dinçer and Remzibey-05 safflower varieties were sown on 19 November 2004 and 20 May 2005. According to results of this research; plant height 111.47 and 59.93 cm, capitula number per plant 15.57 and 8.58, secondary branch number per plant 6.26 and 5.07, seed number per capitula 30.18 and 28.67, a thousand seed weight 35.62 and 38.24 g, seed yield 200.74 and 112.30 kg/da, harvest index 30.09 and 30.46 %, oil content 26.75 and 22.14 % and oil yield 53.87 kg/da and 23.03 kg/da were recorded in late-autumn and late-spring sowing, respectively. The highest seed yield and, oil content and yield were obtained from cv. Dinçer and cv. Dinçer and cv. Remzibey-05, respectively. The effect of late-autumn sowing on plant height, capitula number, secondary branch number, seed yield, oil content and oil yield were positive and significant statistically. The increasing ratio of these characters in late-autumn sowing according to late-spring sowing was 86.14%, 81.38%, 5.68%, 80.00% , 21.03% and 119.10%, respectively.