Planta Med 2011; 77 - PL104
DOI: 10.1055/s-0031-1282753

Contribution of two agronomic characteristics to yield and oil content of safflower germplasm in eastern Algeria

B Mouloud 1, M Lyamine 1, OE Abolfoutouh 2, MS Mostapha 2, B Mourad 3
  • 1Department of Biology, University 20 Aout 1955, Skikda, 21000 Algeria
  • 2Department of Cultivation and Production of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, NRC, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
  • 3Genetics, Biochemistry and Plant Biotechnologies Laboratory, University Mentouri, Constantine,25000 Algeria

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is one of humanity's oldest crops, but generally it has been grown on small plots for the grower's personal use and it remains a minor crop. Since safflower is a drought tolerant crop, the objective of this research was the investigation of the seed yield and oil content under semi-arid conditions in eastern Algeria.

The results showed that plant height (PH) and plant dry matter weight (PDMW) showed 63,37–107,63cm and 65,55–123,04g of variation respectively. Syprus variety gave the highest PDMW (123,04g) and yield of seeds (YS) (420.53g/m2). While Finch variety gave the highest PH (107,63cm). Considering the yield of the fixed oil (YO) (% of seeds), Gila variety produced the highest percentage (38.47%). The research revealed that the most suitable safflower variety, under semi-arid conditions of eastern Algeria was Syprus variety which was provided by ICARDA (International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas, Syria). Analyses of variance showed highly significant differences among the varieties for yield agronomic traits and oil content. Correlation coefficients between variables (traits) are calculated, and the cluster analysis of observations (varieties) is also used to clarify the clustering pattern of genotypes tested.