IMPROVEMENT OF SAFFLOWER BY SELECTION

Abstract

Four cultivars of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) (Almais, Kino-76, S-400 and Aceteira) were planted on 13/11/2002 on the farm of Field Crop Sci. Dept. / College of Agric. Selection was conducted on plants of Almais cultivar only because of drought. The objective of this experiment was to select spineless high yield lines and depending on several traits selection; plant height, height of first branch, no. of primary and secondary branches, seed per head, seed plant, weight of 100 seed, higher yield and maturity .We got 24 lines of Almais cultivar. Statistical test showed wide variances and coefficient of variation among selected lines and between these lines and Almais cultivar. This shows the possibility to select many promising lines .Results of statistical analyze showed superiority of some lines in their yields as compared with Almais cv. The late maturity line with red flowers gave higher yield (7 t/ha) while Almais gave 2.6 t/ha. The increase in yield was about 16.5% for spineless line (12) of orange flowers, to 171% for late maturing line red flower (19) which gave higher plant yield (133 g). resulted from increased no. of seeds/plant (3543 seed), compared with Almais cv., which gave 49, seed with an increase of (154%). Whereas the lines 10 and 22 were superior in 100 seed weight (4.14 g) and (4.27 g), respectively, with increase of 18%, 22% compared with Almais cv. (3.5 g). The higher seed per head was 80 compared to 51 seed for Almais, which gave 29 seeds. Number of heads 123 and 124 of lines 14 and 21, were superior to Almais (48), with increases of 156% and 159%, respectively. These lines were superior in secondary branches (124) and (139), with increases on Almais by 141% and 169%, respectively. These two lines were very low in position of branches (zero and 21cm).