Selection criteria for yield in safflower (charthamus tinctorius l.) genotypes under rainfed conditions

Abstract

This research was conducted on 20 safflower genotypes and lasted 3 years (2014-2016) in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. The experiments were conducted in randomized block design with four replications. The relationships among yield 9 other traits in safflower genotypes were investigated. As the average of three years, the greatest seed yield (SY) was obtained from genotype G5 (PI 451952) with 3156.3 kg ha-1. It was followed by genotypes G4 (PI 525458) and G9 (PI 306686) with 3013.2 and 2977.1 kg ha-1, respectively. Among the standard cultivars, the greatest seed yield (2750.4 kg ha-1) was obtained from the Dinçer cultivar. The greatest oil content (OC) was obtained from the genotype G11 (PI 537665) with 36.5%. It was followed by the genotypes G9 (PI 306686) (35.4%), G6 (PI 537598) (35.4%) and G14 (PI 560169) (35.3%). Oil contents varied between 29.1-36.5%. Yield-trait relationships were assessed through both correlation analysis and GT (Genotype by Trait) biplot analysis. Based on the results of the two approaches, plant height (PH), number of branches (NB), number of heads (NH) and thousand-seed weight (TSW) were identified as the most significant selection criteria for yield from safflower. The combined use of correlation and biplot analysis in the assessment of relationships among the traits improved the chance for success.