Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, J. N. Agricultural University, College of Agriculture, Indore
Effect of soil water potential on different growth parameters of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) was studied in pot culture. Atmospheric evaporativity during experimental period ranged in between 1.2 to 7.5 mm/day. Maximum dry matter accumulation was recorded when soil water potential was maintained at −0.30 bar. Increase in soil moisture stress caused more depression of safflower root growth than shoot growth as indicated by a linear increase in shoot/root ratio. However, the relative plant height and green leaf area of safflower remained almost unaffected upto -3 bars soil moisture stress and then declined rapidly. While the relative dry weight of roots and shoot decreased rapidly from field capacity moisture content (−0.30 bar SWP) to-6 bars soil moisture stress but further increase in soil moisture stress upto -15 bars caused a slow decrease. Soil moisture stress of -3 bars is critical for safflower growth in a fine textured clay soil.
