1. MUHAMMAD SAJID - Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan.
2. ABDUL KHALIQ - Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan.
3. FAHD RASUL - Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan.
4. GHULAM MURTAZA - Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plant growth and development. It is an important component of chlorophyll which is essential for photosynthesis process that enables plants to convert sunlight into energy. Nitrogen is also a key element in amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins and it essential for the formation of new cells and tissues in plants, as well as for various metabolic processes. Henceforth, this study was planned to optimize the nitrogen requirement for safflower accessions with respect to yield, oil and agronomic efficiency of nitrogen. Experiment was arranged using split plot design by possessing nitrogen in main plot and safflower accessions sub plot and replicated thrice. Concluding the results of this study the maximum seed yield was gathered under 90 kg N ha-1 followed by 60 kg N ha-1 while the least seed yield was gathered where no nitrogen was applied. Moreover, safflower accession PI-198990 had the leading genotypes regarding seed yield whereas, accession PI-199907 was found for maximum seed oil content. Similarly, the highest agronomic efficiency and partial factor productivity of nitrogen was calculated in PI-199907 and PI-198990 respectively along with 30 kg ha-1 nitrogen application. Moreover, seed yield positively correlated with days to flowering (DTF), days to maturity, Branches per plant, heads per plant and 1000-seed weight (TSW). However, agronomic efficiency (AEN) of nitrogen had the significant correlation with heads, 1000-seed weight, seed yield and oil content.
Accessions, Nitrogen, Agronomic Efficiency of Nitrogen, Oil, Yield, Amino Acid, Seed Yield.