Safflower crop comes up well in deep to medium black
soils. It can be cultivated in saine soils also upto a pH range of 8.5.
Sowings from 2nd fortnight of September to 2nd fortnight of October
A fertilizer dose of 40N, 40P2Os kg per hectare is recommended in
monocropped safflower area while 30N, 40P2Qs kg/ha is sufficient in
double cropped areas where legume preceeds.
A seed rate of 10 kg of Manjeera treated with thiram @ 3 gms/kg seed
has to be used for sowing with a spacing of 45 x20 cm. Sagaramuthyalu
is to be used for late sowing.
Dust 10% Lindane at the collar region of the seedlings @ 25 kg/ha
to control weevils.
lnter-cultivation has to be done at 25.:30 days after sowing along
with hand weeding. Second inter-cultivation has to be done 45-50 days
after sowing using gorru.
Need based plant protection has to be taken up with monocrotophos,
metasystox @ 1.5 ml/l for the control of aphids. Spray Dithane M-45
@ 2.5 g/1 to control leaf spot diseases.
Moong-safflower is a sustainable crop sequence and Grarm/Coriander
+ Safflower in 2:1 ratio is the recommended inter cropping system.
Provide one or two irrigations if available at critical stages at
30 and 60 days after sowing. This crop is highly sensitive to excess
moisture.
Harvest the crop when most of the leaves and bracts turn yellow to
brown. Allow to dry in the field for 2-3 days for easy threshability.
