Influence of severe drought on oleic acid content and seed yield of high oleic Indian safflower varieties

Abstract

High oleic safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) oil is desired by industry because of its high oxidative stability for broader uses in food, fuel, and others. Demand for oleic oils is increasing recently. Three high oleic cultivars, ISF-1, ISF-2 and ISF-3 were developed for the first time in India at ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research, Hyderabad. The objective of this investigation was to test the influence of drought on oleic acid content of high oleic cultivars. During 2015-16, ISF-1, ISF-2 and ISF-3 and 13 non-oleic varieties were grown in RBD with 3 replications at 10 locations in India; experiment was conducted under severe drought conditions at four locations and under irrigated (1or 2 irrigations) conditions at 6 locations. The mean rainfall received during safflower crop period (October-April) was 35 mm. ISF-1, ISF-2 and ISF-3 had high mean oleic acid content (75-76%) as compared to non-oleic varieties (14-17%) across locations. High oleic varieties had 3-5% lower oleic content (72-73%) under dry conditions than that (76-78%) recorded in irrigated conditions. High temperatures and severe moisture stress prevailed at dry locations might have caused reduction in oleic acid levels. Oleic acid content of oleic varieties has not changed when grown in warmer-irrigated and cooler-irrigated locations. This suggests that the effect of temperature was mitigated when irrigation was provided. Drought has severely reduced seed yield in all varieties, however, ISF-1 and IFS-2 recorded 15 and 9% higher seed yield, and 23 and 27% higher oil yield than the best check variety, A1 over the locations.