Determination of suitable sowing date of safflower in Diyarbakır conditions

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) oil is widely used both as a cooking oil and in industrial applications and is tolerant to adverse weather conditions such as cold, drought and salinity. This study was conducted to determine the most suitable sowing date and safflower variety for the conditions in Diyarbakır, Türkiye, during the 2009-2010, 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 growing seasons. The experiment followed a randomized complete block design with split plots and four replications, using two safflower varieties: Remzibey-05 and Dinçer. Seeds were planted on the trial field of GAP UTAEM (GAP Internatiolan Agricultural Research and Training Center). The results showed that the highest seed yields were obtained from the Remzibey-05 variety sown on 15 December (2766 kg ha-1) and 15 November (2755 kg ha-1), and from the Dinçer variety sown on 1 December (2677 kg ha-1). The lowest yield was recorded for the variety Remzibey-05 sown on 15 April (1005 kg ha-1). Besides, the highest crude oil yield was obtained in Dinçer cultivar with in 1st December 831 kg ha-1 and the lowest was obtained from Dinçer variety in 15th April sowing date with 332 kg ha-1. Based on the results, sowing dates between 15 November and 15 December are recommended for optimal safflower production under Diyarbakır conditions