Pollinator activity on the flowers of safflower <i>Carthamus tinctorius</i> and its effect on some qualitative and quantitative parameters of the plant in Sohag Governorate, Egypt

Safflower, Carthamus tinctorius L., has been cultivated for its seeds. Pollinators can affect the seed yield, so the current studies were conducted at the Research Farm of Agricultural Research Center at Shandaweel, Sohag Governorate, for two successive growing seasons, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, to study the role of pollinators on the productivity of three varieties of safflower, (Giza 1, Kharga 1, and L. Assad 1). The results indicate the presence of 9 species of arthropods belonging to 5 families and 3 orders. In both seasons, Apis mellifera L. was detected during the last week of February. The population increased gradually and reached its peak, which recorded (6.0, 4.3, and 2.7) and (5.7, 3.3, and 2.0) individuals/m2/5min. for the cultivars, Giza1, Kharga1, and L. Assad 1, respectively, on the 1st week of March. Statistically, significant differences were found among tested safflower varieties, either open pollination or control pollination plants, for all quantitative and qualitative safflower yield parameters over two years. The pollinators of uncaged plants significantly increased the measured parameters than caged plants for all studied traits, except Oil % during both seasons. The highest oil% in our study was obtained from L. Assad 1, (19.84 and 20.21%). While the lowest oil content was determined as (18.04 and 19.03%) in the Giza 1 variety, at both seasons, respectively. L. Assad 1 is a promising line and can be used for large-scale production of edible oil.