Irrigation and nutrient requirement of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) in black soil

A field experiment was conducted during winter season of 1995–96 to 1997–98 to optimise the irrigation and nutrient requirement of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) in a black soil at Bhawanipatna, Orissa. Application of 2 post-sowing irrigations at branching and flowering along with 1 pre-sowing irrigation resulted in the maximum seed yield of 1, 822 kg/ha being on par with 1 pre-sowing and a post-sowing irrigation at branching. These 2 irrigation treatments had similar benefit: cost and water-use efficiency (WUE), but consumptive use of water (CU) was more with the former. The seed yield at 80: 80: 40 kg of N: P₂O₅: K₂O/ha was the highest (1, 718 kg/ha), followed by 60:60:30 kg/ha (1, 696 kg/ha). A declining trend in seed yield at the highest fertility level (80: 80: 40 kg/ha) was noticed, particularly when irrigation was withheld at flowering stage. Though CU by safflower increased with increasing level of fertility, both benefit: cost.(1.79) and water-use efficiency (4.21 kg/ha-mm) were the maximum at 60: 60:30 kg/ha of N: P₂O₅: K₂O.