Description of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) phenological growth stages according to the extended BBCH scale

Abstract

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) is an annual oilseed crop belonging to the Asteraceae family. It is adapted to semiarid growing conditions and could have expanded potential as an alternative, multipurpose crop in central Argentina and other semiarid regions. Agronomic and ecophysiology research of safflower is needed to promote its cultivation and economic potential. An accurate, standard scale describing phenological growth stages is needed to facilitate the crop management and research. We describe phenological growth stages of safflower plants from seed germination to harvest maturity according to the codes of the extended BBCH scale, a scale widely adopted throughout the world for the description of growth developmental stages of weeds and crops. This scale uses a two-digit code, where the same code is applied to the same growth stages of different plant species. For each code, a description based on easily observable external morphological characteristics is given. This work is the first description of safflower growth stages according to the codes of the extended BBCH scale. The codification proposed here provides an accurate and simplified approach to identify the safflower growth stages. This will provide a useful tool for farmers and researchers facilitating scientific communications at an international level.