Abstract

Nitrogen and Iron fertilizers are considered as important elements in plant nutrition. This experiment was carried out via factorial split plot design based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications. Nitrogen rates were arranged as the main factor with three levels (0, 75 and 150 kg/ha) and iron spraying (sulphate of iron) with two levels (1/1000 and 2/1000) (kg/1000 L H₂O) along with 10 safflower genotypes including four lines (22-191, V-138, Isfahan14, Isfahan 28) and six landraces (Golsefid, Goldasht, Arak, Isfahan, Shiraz and kashan) as subfactor. Analysis of variance showed that the highest content of seed yield and its components (head number/plant, seed number/head, 1000 – seed weight) and harvest index were obtained from application of 100 kg/ha nitrogen treatment and sulphate of iron that was sprayed with 2/1000 dose (kg/1000 L H₂O) in Shiraz landrace. Based on correlation coefficients analysis, seed yield showed positive and significant correlation with seed number/head, biological yield and harvest index. According to regression analysis, seed number/head was considered as the main trait that explained nearby 49% of total variation in seed yield.

Key words: Safflower, genotype, nitrogen, iron, seed yield.