.W9P/A10; 3/U32 LJB Rcc docomen t^ nu m „jy/ iO 1965 (t WYOM*NG flOUHHG in Wxjcminc jlaoeine 111. Powell .! ijiicultulal Sxpeliment Station Uioelsitxj o| Wyoming, ^.alamie flutte iy6$ /bulletin Lf32 GROWING SAFFLOWER IN WYOMING Laverne M. Powell1 Safflower (Cartharnus tinctorius L.) Adaptation is an oilseed crop adapted to the west­ Safflower is adapted to areas where ern part of the Northern Great Plains, the growing season is 120 days or where there is a growing season of at longer and the relative humidity is least 120 days. The oil is used in low, especially during the later part manufacturing quick-drying paints, of the growing season. The highest varnishes, and enamels, since it is non- yields are produced in areas which yellowing. The oil, which is high in have 20 to 26 in. of annual precipita­ linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid tion. Less precipitation is required in the human diet (1), is used also for if the soil has a good water reserve at cooking, salad dressings, oleomarga­ planting time. At least 12 in. are rine, and other edibles. needed during the growing season if there is little moisture reserve in the Description soil at that time. Safflower is sensi­ Safflower, an annual, usually grows tive to excessive moisture. Too much from 11/2 to 3 ft. tall with few to many soil moisture is conducive to root rot, branches. It belongs to the thistle and high relative humidity increases family (Compositae), and the commer­ the incidence of rust. Either of these cially grown varieties in the United conditions seriously decreases seed States vary from moderately spiny to yield. fully spiny. Each plant usually pro­ Safflower in the seedling stage will duces 1 to 5 thistle-type flowers which withstand temperatures as low as 19° vary in color from light yellow to deep F. without damage, but a temperature orange. Each flower head generally of 32° F. during the bud or blossom produces 15 to 50 seeds. stage will damage it considerably. Seed from the commercial varieties High temperatures are desirable dur­ contain 32 to 40 percent oil. Some ex­ ing the growing season, especially perimental lines being developed have from the bud stage until maturity. In considerably higher oil content in the general, the higher the temperature seed. during this period, the higher the 1 Assistant Professor of Forage Crops yield of seed—if moisture is available yield from 500 to 1,500 lb. of seed per to the plants. acre, Tables 1, 2, 3 and 4. Production of safflower seed under irrigation in Is Safflower Hard on the Land? Wyoming is questionable because of the incidence of root rot and leaf rust. The fertility requirements of saf­ flower are similar to those of wheat Soil and barley. However, safflower has a long taproot, which grows to a depth Safflower will not produce well on of 7 or 8 ft., and moisture may be de­ marginal land. It produces best on a pleted to this depth. If precipitation deep, well-drained loam to silt-loam is sufficient to build up the soil-mois­ soil. In general, any soil which is suit­ ture reserve between safflower harvest able for production of wheat or barley and the planting of the following is suitable for safflower. crop, production should be as high after safflower as after either barley Seedbed Preparation or wheat. If soil moisture is not re­ Safflower is generally planted on plenished, the following crop may suf­ land which has been summer fallowed fer from lack of moisture. the previous year. Plant it on a well- prepared seedbed as you would small Market grains. The seedbed should be free of weeds and volunteer crop plants. It At present almost all safflower seed may be necessary to till the seedbed is produced under contract with a with a rodweeder or duckfoot culti­ processing plant. There is now no vator just before planting. Conserve predictable open market, and it is the topsoil moisture, since there likely to be difficult to market any should be enough moisture in the top seed not grown under contract. If one 3 in. to allow rapid germination. expects to grow safflower, he should investigate the availability of a mar­ Planting keting contract. The current price of safflower seed is approximately $70 A grain drill is generally used to per ton plus a variable marketing plant safflower seed. The seed feeds bonus. through the drill at a faster rate than barley. If the drill is set to plant 20 Yields Expected lb. of barley per acre, it will plant approximately 30 lb. of safflower. The yield of safflower seed depends Plant safflower on dryland at the rate upon the amount of moisture avail­ of 20 to 30 lb. per acre. This rate able during the growing season. Non- will produce from 3 to 5 plants per irrigated safflower grown under Wyo­ square foot, which is the recom­ ming conditions can be expected to mended stand. The seed should be planted be­ tural practices, and variety of saf­ tween April 15 and May 15. Planting flower grown. about May 1 is preferred as this will Root rot is most severe on surface- allow weed seed to germinate and be irrigated land; it seldom affects dry­ killed by tillage before planting. The land plantings. U.S. 10 and Gila va­ seed should be planted 1 to 2 in. deep, rieties have some resistance. or deeper, in moist soil; however, it Rust is seldom a problem on dry­ should not be planted deeper than 3 land, since high humidity from atmos­ or 4 in. pheric conditions or irrigation is nec­ Safflower seed requires a soil temp­ essary for rust to develop sufficiently erature of at least 40° F. to germinate. to cause yield loss. At this temperature the plants will emerge in 8 to 15 days. If the soil Harvesting temperature is 60° F., the plants will Safflower may be harvested by di­ emerge in 4 to 8 days. rect combining since it does not lodge at maturity and the seeds do not shat­ Weed Control ter easily. It is ready for harvest when Weeds may crowd out safflower the plant has thoroughly dried. To during its slow, early growth. If it test for maturity, squeeze several of rains soon after planting, weeds may the most recently developed heads. If come up before the safflower. In the seeds separate easily, it can be solid stands, shallow harrowing can combined. destroy most small weeds before the Safflower cannot be threshed as fast safflower emerges. Do not harrow as barley or wheat. The cylinder speed after complete emergence until the should be reduced to 500-800 r.p.m. to plants are about 3 in. high. Use a prevent cracking the seed. The seed harrow or rotary hoe until the plants may be shattered if the reel speed is are about 6 in. high. If safflower is too fast or if the reel hits the ripe planted in rows, cultivate it in the seedheads directly. Reel speed should same manner as you would other row be equalized with the ground speed. crops. Results of Safflower Testing in Diseases Wyoming2 Leaf rust and root rot are the most Varieties and selections of safflower important safflower diseases. The were tested for seed and oil yield on amount of damage they cause depends the dryland substations at Archer, Gil­ largely upon weather conditions, cul­ lette, and Sheridan from 1958 through "The work reported herein was conducted under a project of the Plant Science Division in cooperation with the A.R.S., U.S.D.A.. and the Agricultural Substations. Much credit is due Thomas L. Birch, former superintendent, and Alvin F. Gale, who transferred from Shendan to Archer; Leland R. Landers, Gillette; and L. R. Richardson, Sheridan, each of whom supervised the plots at his station. 1964. These tests were conducted in of years that each variety was tested cooperation with the U.S.D.A. as part is shown in the fourth column of Ta­ of Safflower Regional Variety Tests. bles 1, 2, and 3. Test entries were varieties and un­ Since most of the varieties were not named lines. They were grown in 4- grown all 7 years during the test pe­ row plots 25 ft. long and replicated 4 riod, the average yields were com­ times. All seed yields are reported in puted in relation to the yield of Gila. pounds per acre, and the oil is re­ These computed averages enable the ported as percent oil content of the reader to compare the yields of vari­ seed. Oil content was determined by eties grown over a different period of the Agricultural Research Service, time. U.S.D.A., at Logan, LHah. The seed The average yields of seed and the and oil yields for 1964 and the aver­ percent oil of Gila for the years tested age yields for the 7-year test period at the three stations are reported in are reported in Tables 1, 2, and 3. No Table 4. average yields are reported for varie­ The averages were computed by the ties grown only 1 year. The number following formula: Yield of variety for each year grown - = % yield of Gila Yield of Gila for the same years and: % yield average yield . of Gila of Gil = ^omPute° average yield of the variety For example: N4051 was grown at Archer in 1960-63. So: Yield of N4051 for 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 v average yield Yield of Gila for 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 ' of Gila = average yield of N4051. Table 1. Yield data of safflower varieties and selections grown at Archer, Wyo. 1958-1964. Selection Yield Percent Means for period grown 1 or 1964 oil Years Yield Percent variety lb/A 1964 grown lb/A oil Gila 395 35.0 6 668 36.3 N-10 5 705 34.7 U.S. 10 298 34.5 5 639 34.7 N-4051 4 711 29.4 A-5731 4 545 35.6 A-0104 266 36.8 3 659 36.8 N-6 3 564 30.6 U-5 392 34.4 2 832 36.0 U-15 421 34.6 2 826 35.8 Pacific 1 2 677 34.3 12417 294 43.3 1 River Road 248 41.2 1 A-1049 192 39.6 1 1 Means computed from percent of Gila Table 2. Yield data of safflower varieties and selections grown at Gillette, Wyo. 1958-1964. Selection Yield Percent Means for period grown1 or 1964 oil Yean Yield Percent variety lb/A 1964 grown lb/A oil Gila 680 36.1 7 766 36.0 N-10 6 753 35.2 U.S. 10 782 36.9 5 785 35.5 A-5731 4 785 37.2 N-4051 4 719 29.9 N-6 3 816 33.1 U-15 874 36.0 2 935 35.5 U-5 834 36.7 2 891 36.3 A-0104 714 37.9 2 793 37.6 Pacific 1 2 732 35.6 12417 570 46.3 1 River Road 470 41.5 1 A-1049 434 42.1 1 1 Means computed from percent of Gila Table 3. Yield data of safflower varieties and selections grown at Sheridan, Wyo. 1958-1964. Selection Yield Percent Means for period grown1 or 1964 oil Years Yield Percent variety lb/A 1964 grown lb/A oil Gila 1394 39.6 6 867 36.3 N-10 6 781 33.0 U.S. 10 1459 38.0 5 826 34.8 A-5731 4 740 34.5 N-4051 4 636 28.9 N-6 3 703 31.8 U-5 1281 36.6 2 812 32.9 A-0104 1316 39.5 2 794 35.8 U-15 1271 36.8 2 784 34.3 Pacific 1 2 735 34.2 A-1049 1455 43.9 1 12417 1085 48.2 1 River Road 903 44.2 1 1 Means computed from percent of Gila Table 4. Average yield in pounds per acre and oil percentage of Gila by years at three dryland locations. STATION Archer Gillette Sheridan Year Seed Percent Seed Percent Seed Percent yield oil yield oil yield oil 1958 756 38.6 1518 35.2 1205 35.8 1959 926 37.6 741 33.4 1065 37.4 1960 638 37.0 1961 1103 37.5 494 36.9 150 31.3 1962 378 34.9 756 34.9 989 34.6 1963 533 36.1 532 38.7 513 37.7 1964 395 35.0 680 36.1 1394 39.6 Average 682 36.6 767 36.0 886 36.1 References 1. Growing Safflower in Nebraska. 1963. EC 63-138. University of Nebraska Extension Service. 2. Growing Safflower—an Oilseed Crop. 1961. Farmers Bulletin 2133. U.S. Dept. of Agri. 3. Leininger, L. N. Growing Safflower in Utah. 1964. Ext. Leaflet 107. Utah State Univ. 4. Powell, Laverne M. 1959. Safflower Variety Adaptation Trials in Wyo­ ming. Wyo. Agr. Exp. Sta. Mimeo Cir. 113. 5. Riedl, W. A. 1955. Safflower in Wyoming. Wyo. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 332. Many other Wyoming publications are available front your local county agricultural agents or by writing Bulletin Roont, College of Agriculture, University of Wyoming, Box 3354, University Station, Laramie, Wyoming 82071. Some crop publications include: XMC 190R Recommended Winter Grain Varieties for Wyoming. 1965 XMC 192 Recommended Spring Wheat Varieties for Wyoming. 1964 XMC 194R Recommended Spring Barley Varieties. 1965 XMC 197 Recommended Spring Oat Varieties for Wyoming. 1964 XMC 198R Hybrid Corn Performance Trials in Wyo­ ming. 1965 XMC 199 Potato Research in Wyoming—1963. 196 1 XMC 204 Survey of Small Grain Varieties Grown in Wyoming. 1964 SCD 5 Seed Certification Directory. Agricultural Experiment Station University of Wyoming, Laramie N. W. Hilston, Director 6-65— 1.5M— 9