To identify appropriate genotypes for breeding varieties suitable for semi-arid areas, yield components, as well as morphophonological traits of 127 safflower genotypes, were assessed at the Seed and Plant Improvement Institute, Iran. Cluster analysis revealed four distinct groups. The largest group (third cluster) includes 48 genotypes with characteristics such as mostly yellow-coloured flowers, mostly thorny with few thistle genotypes, relatively early-flowering, relatively high number of heads and grains per plant, highest 1000-grain weight with the highest grain yields. In contrast, the smallest group (second cluster) contains 13 genotypes with characteristics such as yellow florets, semi-dwarf, thorny, moderately late-flowering, low number of heads per plant and number of grains per head, low 1000-grain weight, and low grain yield. Principal component analysis results showed that the three components accounted for 29.5, 15.9 and 11.1% of the total variation, respectively. Graphic representation of the biplots based on the first and second principal components showed that the experimental genotypes were classified into four groups. The results also indicated that stem diameter, the number of branches, heads per plant and grains per head had the highest correlation with the first component, and grain yield, flower colour, flowering initiation and plant height had the highest correlation with the second component. These traits can be considered as an appropriate index for the selection of elite safflower genotypes for breeding varieties suited to cultivation in semi-arid conditions.

Cropping system characteristics such as tillage intensity, crop identity, crop-livestock integration and the application of off-farm synthetic inputs influence weed abundance, plant community composition and crop-weed competition. The resulting plant community, in turn, has species-specific effects on soil microbial communities which can impact the growth and competitive ability of subsequent plants, completing a plant–soil feedback (PSF) loop. Farming systems that minimize the negative impacts of PSFs on subsequent crop growth can increase the sustainability of the farming enterprise. This study sought to assess the individual and combined impact of the cropping system (certified organic-grazed, certified organic till and conventional no-till) and crop sequence [pairwise rotations with safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), yellow sweet clover (Melilotus officinalis) and winter wheat (Triticum aestivum)] on the PSF magnitude and direction. All cropping systems followed the same 5-year rotation and had completed one full rotation before soil was sampled. In a greenhouse setting, a sterile soil mix was inoculated with field soil collected from all systems and three crops. The PSF study consisted of two stages (conditioning and response phases) that mimicked the rotation stages occurring in the field. PSFs were calculated by comparing the biomass of the response phase plants grown in inoculated and uninoculated soils. The farm management system affected PSFs, inferring that tillage reduction can encourage more positive PSFs. Crop sequence did not affect PSF but interacted strongly with the farm system. As such, the effects of the farming system on PSFs are best illustrated when taken into account with the identity of the previous and current crops of a cropping sequence.

With the association between increased carotenoid intake and lower risk of chronic diseases, the absorption of lutein from the diet becomes an important factor in its delivery and physiological action. The primary objective of this study was to gain an understanding of how a new formulation technology (mixture of mono- and diglycerides (MDG)), affected lutein absorption. Subjects (n 24) were randomised in a cross-over, double-blind study to receive a single dose of 6 mg lutein (FloraGLO 20 %) provided as capsules containing either high-oleic safflower (SAF) oil or a MDG oil. Subjects receiving a single dose of lutein in MDG showed a significantly greater change from baseline (0 h) to 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 48 and 336 h (P<0·05) and baseline adjusted AUC for plasma lutein at 48 and 336 h (P<0·001) as compared with subjects given lutein in SAF. Analysis of the 48 h absorption kinetics of lutein showed that the time to peak level of lutein (12 h) was the same for SAF and MDG groups, but the change in plasma lutein at 12 and 48 h were 129 and 320 % higher, respectively, for MDG compared with SAF. This difference continued as the adjusted AUC 0–48 and 0–336 h for the MDG group was 232 and 900 % higher, respectively, v. SAF. The study data show that by changing the lipid that is combined with a lutein supplement results in significant increases in lutein absorption in healthy adults.

An open-field test was conducted in southern France to assess the host-specificity of Ceratapion basicorne (Illiger), a candidate for biological control of yellow starthistle. Test plants were infested by naturally occurring populations of C. basicorne but were also exposed to sympatric herbivore species, including other Ceratapion spp. Insects from the test plants were collected directly into tubes of ethanol and were subsequently identified to species according to DNA sequence similarity with morphologically identified reference specimens. This integrated, morphological and molecular identification method was used in an effort to maximize the amount of data gained in the field bioassay and to minimize the number of taxonomist–hours necessary to complete the study. The results obtained showed that the French C. basicorne population only attacked yellow starthistle and cornflower, another known host of C. basicorne. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the insects collected from all other nonhost plants rejected the possibility that any were C. basicorne.

Safflower is an oil-seed crop with high quality oil that is used for producing healthyfoods and painting colors. This crop has valuable petals which have a lot of uses inmedicine, production of food colors and dyes for coloring fabrics, but such problem asdispersion of flowers, thorns of crops that hurt worker’s hands also lack of a suitableharvesting machine have enforced farmers to harvest petals by hand that is a hard work andnon-economic. In this study a prototype machine was designed and constructed. This machineincludes an engine, a radial fan with BI blades, a snout, a diffuser to separate petalsfrom airflow and a store; all parts are assembled on a trolley to move easily in farm.This machine picks safflower petals out and intakes through snout by the fan suctionpower. Petals go to diffuser where they are separated from airflow then fall to the store.Velocity of airflow in the snout was determined by a fan test duct in order to designdiffuser. At last three farms were harvested by this machine for economic analysis.Results show 657% increasing in amount of harvested petals by harvester machine incomparison with hand harvesting.

Field experiments were conducted in Chile and western Canada to measure short-distance (0 to 100 m) outcrossing from transgenic safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) intended for plant molecular farming to non-transgenic commodity safflower of the same variety. The transgenic safflower used as the pollen source was transformed with a construct for seed-specific expression of a high-value protein and constitutive expression of a gene conferring resistance to the broad-spectrum herbicide glufosinate. Progeny of non-transgenic plants grown in plots adjacent to the transgenic pollen source were screened for glufosinate resistance to measure outcrossing frequency. Outcrossing frequency differed among locations: values closest to the transgenic pollen source (0 to 3 m) ranged from 0.48 to 1.67% and rapidly declined to between 0.0024 to 0.03% at distances of 50 to 100 m. At each location, outcrossing frequency was spatially heterogeneous, indicating insects or wind moved pollen asymmetrically. A power analysis assuming a binomial distribution and a range of alpha values (type 1 error) was conducted to estimate an upper and lower confidence interval for the probable transgenic seed frequency in each sample. This facilitated interpretation when large numbers of seeds were screened from the outcrossing experiments and no transgenic seeds were found. This study should aid regulators and the plant molecular farming industry in developing confinement strategies to mitigate pollen mediated gene flow from transgenic to non-transgenic safflower.

To address some concerns about the expansion of genetically engineered pharmaceutical and industrial crops to outdoor plantings and potential impacts on the human food supply, we determined whether commercial agriculture seeds of maize or corn Zea mays L., barley Hordeum vulgare L., safflower Carthamus tinctorius L. and rice Oryza sativa L. are digested or pass viably through the digestive tract, or are transported externally, by captive mallard ducks Anas platyrhynchos L., ring-necked pheasants Phasianus colchicus L., red-winged blackbirds Agelaius phoeniceus (L.) and rock pigeons Columba livia Gmelin (with the exception of whole maize seeds which were too large to feed to the blackbirds). These crop seeds, whether free-fed or force-fed, did not pass through the digestive tract of these bird species. The birds nonetheless did retain viable seeds in the esophagus/crop and gizzard for several hours. For example, after foraging for 6 h, mallards had retained an average of 228 ± 112 barley seeds and pheasants 192 ± 78 in the esophagus/crop, and their germination rates were 93 and 50%, respectively. Birds externally transported seeds away from the feeding location, but in only four instances were seeds found attached to their muddy feet or legs and in no case to feathers. Risk of such crop seeds germinating, establishing and reproducing off site after transport by a bird (externally or internally) or movement of a carcass by a predator, will depend greatly on the crop and bird species, location, environmental conditions (including soil characteristics), timing, and seed condition.

A survey of Heliothis spp. and their larval parasitoids was conducted in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, India during the period 1977–1983. H. armigera and H. peltigera were recorded on safflower. H. peltigera was found dominant on sole crop, while both the species were equally important on intercrop. In general, eight parasitoids: four Hymenoptera and four Diptera emerged from the larvae of Heliothis spp. Six parasitoids were recorded from H. armigera larvae on sole crop and eight on intercrop safflower. The level of parasitism in H. armigera was higher on sole crop.