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SAFFLOWER

 

Safflower is xerophytic in nature and is bestowed with unique features of salt and drought tolerance. In Pakistan, it is grown only in Sindh and Baluchistan. In 2008-09, its national average yield was 890 kg/ha. Safflower seed contains 25-37% oil. Its oil is of drying type with iodine number upto 149 and contains little linolenic acid and high percentage of oleic acid and linoleic acids. Safflower oil is human health friendly and can be blended with other edible oil or can also be used directly for edible purpose. Keeping the importance of this oilseed crop, the following experiments were conducted for the genetic improvement and breeding high yielding and spineless varieties.

 

Province wise area, production and yield of safflower

Year

Punjab

Sindh

NWFP

Balochistan

Pakistan

(Area in hectares)

2000-01   

-

49

-

12

61

2001-02   

-

45

-

11

56

2002-03   

-

51

-

10

61

2003-04

-

61

-

9

70

2004-05

-

48

-

-

48

2005-06

-

47

-

-

47

2006-07

-

58

-

-

58

2007-08

-

66

-

-

66

2008-09

-

73

-

-

73

(Production in tonnes) 

2000-01   

-

36

-

8

44

2001-02   

-

34

-

7

41

2002-03   

-

41

-

6

47

2003-04

-

43

-

6

49

2004-05

-

35

-

-

35

2005-06

-

38

-

-

38

2006-07

-

49

-

-

49

2007-08

-

60

-

-

60

2008-09

-

65

-

-

65

(Yield kgs per hectare)

2000-01   

-

735

-

667

721

2001-02   

-

756

-

636

732

2002-03   

-

804

-

600

770

2003-04

-

705

-

667

700

2004-05

-

729

-

-

729

2005-06

-

809

-

-

809

2006-07

-

845

-

-

845

2007-08

-

909

-

-

909

2008-09

-

890

-

-

890

Source:  Agric. Statistics of Pakistan, 2008-09

 

PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY

Soil:     Light and heavy mera soil with good drainage

Seed bed preparation:                            2-3 ploughings with planking.

Planting Time:                                   

                                                                Irrigated area:                        20 October to 20 November

                                                                Rainfed area:                         15 October to 15 November

Seed rate (drill):                                   

                                                                Irrigated area:                        8 kg/acre  or  20 kg/ha

                                                                Barani area:                           7 kg/acre  or  18 kg/ha

Method of Planting:                                 With hand drill in lines

                                                                Rows Spacing:                      45 cm

                                                                Plants Spacing:                     10-15 cm

Fertilizer:                                                Irrigated areas:                       One bag urea + one bag DAP

                                                                                                            (½ urea at first irrigation)

                                                                Barani areas:                         One bag urea + one bag DAP

                                                                                                            (All at bed preparation)      

Irrigations:                                               2-3  (first irrigation, 1½ to 2 month after sowing)

                                                                (Second irrigation at flowering)

Weed control:                                          Weeding with Tarphali or rotary hoe after first  irrigation

                                                                Weeding with Tarphali or rotary hoe after Second irrigation      

Harvesting and Threshing:                      When 90-95% capsules mature and leaves colour

                                                                becomes brownish harvest the crop.

Storage:                                                  Store at about 8 to 10 percent moisture contents

 

 

Focal Person:

 

Dr. Muhammad Yasin Mirza, PSO

dryasinmirza54@yahoo.com
dryasinmirza@hotmail.com

Tel:

051-8443568

 

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