Safflower: Optimising sowing date in northern NSW in 2014

Abstract

Key findings • The current conventional safflower varieties Sironaria and S317 tested in 2014 had similar agronomic characteristics including plant structure, flowering time and yield potential. • Sironaria and S317 demonstrated a broad adaptability to sowing dates: 23 June, 21 July and 29 August. Yield potential was greatest when sown in June. • Averaged across all sowing dates, yield was maximised at a population of 34 plants/m2. A 23 June sowing date showed the greatest flexibility in maintaining yield at a range of plant populations. • Seed size declined by 6% as target plant population increased from 10 plants/m2 to 60 plants/m2. • Time to flowering was progressively reduced as the sowing date was delayed from 23 June to 21 July to 29 August; 13 days, 106 days and 81 days respectively. Corresponding length of crop cycles were 178 days, 150 days and 112 days. • The effects from sowing date and plant population on plant structure would not present harvest difficulties in either Sironaria or S317.