Effect of harvest time on quantitative and qualitative traits of three safflower cultivars in dual-purpose cropping for seed and forage production

The purpose of this study is to investigate the quantitative and qualitative traits of forage of three safflower cultivars in dual-purpose cultivation.

The present experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications during the two cropping years of 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 at Karaj. Experimental treatments included 9 treatments: three safflower cultivars (Parnian, Goldasht and Golmehr cultivars) and two forage harvest times (stem and branching stage).

The results showed that forage harvesting in the branching stage leads to a significant increase in safflower forage dry matter. On the other hand, different safflower cultivars were different in terms of low-quality and quality forage traits and grain yield in dual-purpose cultivation. The results of mean comparison showed that safflower seed yield was significantly higher in forage-free treatments and the highest grain yield was obtained in forage-free treatment and Goldasht cultivar with an average of 2226 kg.ha-1. The highest grain yield was observed in the forage harvesting treatment at the stem stage in Golmehr cultivar with an average of 1310 kg.ha-1. Forage harvest in the branching stage increased the digestibility of dry matter and forage protein compared to the rapid stem growth harvest stage in all three cultivars tested.

Forage harvest at the stemming stage in Golmehr, in addition to forage production, had the lowest reduction in grain yield compared to the other two cultivars in Alborz province, which can be economically justified in the case of dual-purpose cropping.