Assessing the Forage Production Potential of Safflower in the Northern Great Plains and Inter-Mountain Regions.

 David M. Wichman, Leon E. Welty, Louise M. Strang, Jerald W. Bergman, Malvern P. Westcott, Gilbert F. Stallknecht, Neil R. Riveland and Raymond L. Ditterline

Abstract

Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is an oilseed crop that is well adapted to the semi-arid Northern Great Plains.  Cool growing seasons in the Northern Great Plains, which occur infrequently, can result in an insufficient number of heat units needed to mature quality oilseed safflower.  Utilization as forage is currently the only alternative use known for the immature safflower crop.  Forage production is often limited in the Northern Great Plains and forage safflower may provide a means of increasing the forage supply, particularly in dry years.  However, it is difficult to market the safflower forage because the quality of safflower forage has not been established with area forage buyers.  The objective of this work was to assess the forage production potential of safflower and evaluate safflower forage quality in the Northern Great Plains and Inter-Mountain Regions.  Safflower forage yields across eight sites were comparable with average dryland and irrigated alfalfa yields in Montana.   Earlier seeding dates and later harvest dates generally produced higher forage yields.  The crude protein content of safflower forage ranged from 7.2 to 20.5 % and was highest at the earlier harvest dates.  Protein content changed little between the late August and September harvests.  The relative feed value of safflower forage from the bud, bloom, and seed fill growth stages was generally above the standard value (RFV=100) for full bloom alfalfa forage.

Key Words:  Safflower, Forage, Forage Quality.