Safflower Biotechnology: Progress and Prospects

 N. M. Ramaswamy

Abstract

            Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius. L) is a valuable oilseed crop and contains high linoleic acid associated with the reduction of  cholestrol level in the blood of humans.  It is also a source of important biochemicals like µ – tocopherol and carthamin.  Genetic improvement of safflower products is complicated as it involves the simultaneous improvement of seed yield and oil content. Classical biotechnology, including mutation breeding, holds promise for generating a high degree of genetic variability.  Recent advances in biotechnology have made it possible to develop superior safflower varieties through the application of classical breeding techniques together with tissue culture and modern biotechnology (recombinant DNA) tools.  To incorporate desirable changes in safflower, it is essential to have good reproducible tissue culture and regeneration systems applicable to a wide range of elite germplasm.  In vitro culture systems also provide a faster production of secondary metabolites.  The work done in our laboratory on in vitro culture of safflower cultivars and also by other research workers elsewhere indicated the possibility for developing useful somaclonal variants with increased contents of stearic and oleic acids, isolation of secondary metabolites, desirable changes in oil composition and in tocopherol content, and the release of new types of isozymes.  Specific uses of isozyme polymorphism, molecular markers, molecular mapping, genetic engineering for the development of mutants for biotic and abiotic stresses, improvement in quality, and functional genomics are applicable to safflower improvement.

Key words: Safflower, in vitro culture,  secondary metabolites, molecular markers, functional genomics