Phenophase Prediction Model for Safflower

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted during 2017-18 and 2018-19 on clay loam soils at research farm of Dry Farming Research Station, Solapur, to study the influence of sowing time on phenology and growth of the safflower cultivars and to develop the phenophases prediction model based on the agro meteorological indices. The treatment consisted of three dates of sowing and two cultivars of safflower. The results showed that the safflower sown under early sown condition, safflower crop took more thermal time as compared to normal and late sown. The day length and bright sunshine hours also affected the occurrence of different phenophases of safflower cultivars, Accumulated thermal time (r=0.94) was best agro meteorological indices for prediction of flowering stage in safflower, while physiological maturity was predicted well by using helio thermal unit (HTU) (r=0.95). The heat use efficiency decreased with delay in sowing. The dry matter production (g/m2) was linearly related with accumulated heat units, HTU and photo thermal indices .