Family: Compositae
Genus: Carthamus
Species: tinctorius
(i) General background on the plant
Safflower is a highly branched, herbaceous thistle like annual [1] or biennial [2] growing to various heights between 30 and 150 cm. The plant produces yellow [1] to bright reddish orange [2] flowers. The seeds which resemble small, slightly rectangular sunflower seeds contain 35 - 45% oil. Seed size and TGW varies with variety e.g. 6-9 mm, TGW 4 g for c.v. Gila, compared with TGW 10 g for c.v. Bagewadi-1. The seed testa is generally cream or off white. Grey and mottled types also occur. The tap root is well-defined and often fleshy, producing numerous thin horizontal laterals. This tap root frequently reaches a depth of 2-3 m, allowing it to draw moisture and materials from a large volume of soil. [1]
There are 5-50 flower heads per plant and these vary in diameter form 1.25 to 4.0 cm in diameter. Flowering may be extended over 10-40 days and the flowers are essentially self-pollinated, but bees and other insects are required to achieved highest yields.
The plant has been cultivated from as early as 4000 BC (in Egypt) for the red , orange and saffron dye obtained from the florets. [1,2]. Uses of the dye have been as a food colouring, cosmetic, textile dye, and medicine [1]. Expression and utilisation of the oil did not come until much later in history. It is used as an edible oil in Afghanistan and India , and the florets are sometimes added to rice [1].
(ii) Details of quality characters
Two pigments can be extracted from the flowers: Water soluble Carthamidin (yellow) and water insoluble Cartharmin (red-orange). Cartharmin is soluble in alkaline solution [1].
Seed composition [1]:
Hull 33-45% (-64%)
Kernel 55-65% (in which protein =12-15% of seed)
Oil 35-45%
Seed reaches a maximum dry weight, iodine value, oil content and germination percentage 4 weeks after flowering.
Seed oils [1]:
Quantity and composition of oil is affected by environment and variety:
Oil Composition (%)
| Varietal type | Palmitic | Stearic | Oleic | Linoleic | Misc. | Non-sapon. |
| Commercial | 6.4-7 | 2.4-2.8 | 9.7-13.1 | 76.9-80.5 | 0.2-0.8 | 0.9-1.6 |
| High Linoleic | 6.0-6.8 | 2.1-2.9 | 9.8-12.7 | 77.5 | 81.0 | 0.8-1.4 |
| Intermediate | 5.0-5.5 | 1.2-1.4 | 45.1-47.3 | 46.5-48.2 | 0.8 | 1.3 |
| High oleic | 4-8 | 4-8 | 74-79 | 11-19 | - | - |
| High oleic | 4.5 | 1.2 | 86.8 | 8.7 | 0.5 | 2.3 |
| High Stearic | 6.2 | 9.5 | 11.9 | 71.0 | 1.4 | 2.1 |
(iii) Current production and yields
Floret yield : 70 - 100 kg/ha [1]
Seed yields : 785 kg/ha (wind pollinated), 1,700 kg/ha bee pollinated [[1].
Hull proportion can be a handicap to commercial production, as it reduces seed-oil percentage and protein content of the meal. Very thin hulls may also cause problems with mechanical harvesting, and varieties with thin hulls has been associated with undesirable characteristics, but with less hull, oil content rises to above 40% and sometimes 45% [1].
| Country | Area harvested ‘000 ha |
Yield t/ha |
| Spain | 0.050 |
0.8 |
| World | 1,056 |
0.87 |
(Source FAO 1997 - production figures for other countries not available).
(iv) Constraints on production
The safflower crop is most suited to hot dry climates. The Northern European climate is sufficiently warm to enable the crop to establish and complete development, but maturity does not occur until late autumn. Temperature is likely to be inadequate and rainfall excessive during the flowering and maturity period which will prevent the consistent achievement of acceptable yields with the current genetic material. (3).
The susceptibility of the crop to wet weather diseases and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum make it a high risk under Northern European weather and crop rotations. (3)
(v) Markets and market potential
Historically safflower was grown for the dyes produced from its flowers. Subsequently culinary and medical use for the seed developed, as well as the extraction of oil for use in cooking and as an industrial oil. It is widely used in paint and varnishes, as it produces a paint that will not yellow with age. The bird-seed market is also important, but requires thin hulled cultivars. The introduction of cheap synthetic dyes has resulted in production as a dye source now of little importance. (3)
(vi) Other information
Safflower is grown in Spain.
Dye extraction in India: Corollas are washed for 3-4 days in acidulated water into which the dye dissolves [1].
See the following pages in the NF-2000 Database
Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius)
(vii) Contacts
May and Dawson, Crop Management Specialists, Driffield UK.
Contact: John Cooke. Tel: + 44 (0) 1377 256000
(viii) References
1. Anon
2. Agricultural Botany. Gill, N. T.; Vear, K. C. (1980) 3rd Edition. Published by Gerald Duckworth & Co. Ltd, The old Piano Factory, 43 Gloucester Crescent, London NW1.
3. Cromack, H.T.H, - Singleton review No. 2. Safflower. ADAS Bridget Research Centre