Safflower (
Carthamus tinctorius
L.) is a multipurpose oilseed crop that is tolerant to drought, saline,
heat and cold conditions; and yields high quality edible seed oil. The objective of this study was to
evaluate the effect of plant density and genotypes on oil content and fatty acid composition of
safflower. A field experiment was conducted in the years 2015 and 2016, during winter and summer
seasons. Treatments included five safflower genotypes and six plant densities. Genotype and plant
density significantly interacted (P < 0.05) to influence oil content and fatty acid composition of
safflower. Increasing plant density from 62,500 to 100,000 plants ha
-1 significantly (P < 0.05) increased
the oil concentration from 16 to 54%, depending on the interaction between genotype and plant
density and genotype by environment (winter and summer seasons). However, as plant density
increased from 100,000 to 200,000 plants ha
-1, safflower oil content significantly (P < 0.05) decreased in
all genotypes. The lowest and highest oil contents was produced by genotype ‘Gila’ planted at
density 62,500 or 200,000; and ‘Sina’, ‘Pi 537 636’ at 100 000 or 125, 000 plants ha
-1 in winter or summer,
respectively. Fatty acid composition was significantly influenced by genotype and plant density
interactions during the two growing seasons. The main fatty acids identified included linoleic, oleic,
stearic and palmatic. There was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in linoleic acid content and a decrease
in oleic, palmatic and stearic as plant density increased from 62,500 to 100,000 plants ha
-1, depending
on genotype or growing season. Genotype ‘Sina’ at 100,000 plants ha
-1 produced the highest oil
content and with high unsaturated fatty acid concentrations.