The response of safflower to integrated nutrient management combinations were studied at Research Farm, Arid Agriculture University, Chakwal Road (32.93˚N, 72.86˚E) during the Rabi season, 2010-2011 under rainfed conditions. Previously fallowed field was prepared by ploughing three times with tractor mounted cultivator and planking with last ploughing. Sowing was done with hand drill on November 22, 2010 with the seed rate of 15 kg∙ha⁻¹. The plot size was 5 × 3.6 m². Row to row distance was 60 cm and plant to plant distance was maintained at 10 cm.

Safflower cultivar Thori-78 being spineless, high yielding and early maturing cultivar of Pakistan and Leed-00 belongs to USA (United States of America) having good yield potential and spiny nature were used as experimental material. Six different nutrient management combinations control (T₁), Recommended Dose N-P (30 - 35 Kg∙ha⁻¹) (T₂), FYM 2 t∙ha⁻¹ (T₃), Poultry Litter 2 t∙ha⁻¹ (T₄), Half (N-P) + 2 t∙ha⁻¹ FYM (T₅) and Half (N-P) + 2 t∙ha⁻¹ Poultry Litter (T₆) in split plot design with four replications having cultivars in main plots and nutrient treatments in sub plots were used. Characteristics of farmyard manure and poultry manure used as organic fertilizer are given in Table 1(a) and Table 1(b). Climatic data during the experimental period at the experimental farm is presented in Figure 1.

Data were recorded for quantitative characters of safflower like plant height (cm), number of heads plant⁻¹, number of seeds head⁻¹, thousand seed weight (g), biological yield (Kg/ha) and seed yield (Kg/ha) at harvesting, done on 26^th

April 2011. Data recorded for different parameters were subjected to statistical analysis using R software by computing analysis of variance.

Oil extraction was carried out using Soxhlet apparatus [10] [11] .

Fatty acid composition of seed samples (stearic, palmitic, oleicand linoleic) was determined through gas chromatograph by methylating the fatty acyl-esters in the oil. The composition and identification of fatty acid was carried out by the relative retention times of the standards [12] [13] .

The means were analyzed and compared at p ≤ 0.05 by F-protected least significant difference test (LSD). The simple correlation coefficients (r) of grain yield with other yield components were also worked out according to [14] .

The mean data regarding plant height of safflower (Table 2) showed that it was significantly affected by different treatments. Maximum plant height (170.0 cm) was recorded with [Half (N-P) + FYM @2 t∙ha⁻¹ (T₅)] followed by T₃ (166.9 cm) and T₄ (166.0 cm) while minimum plant height (142.6 cm) was observed in T₁ (Control). The plants with maximum height (174.6 cm) were observed for cultivar Leed-00, whereas the minimum height (134.0 cm) was recorded for local cultivar Thori-78. Significant variation in plant height might be due to genetic factor as the cultivars were of different origin. Similar results were obtained by [15] who concluded that combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizer significantly increased the plant height. These results are in conformity with [16] [17] who stated that differences among the plant height might be due to nutrient status and availability thus plants responded to the treatments according to the nutrient supply.

At 0.05 level of significance. Any two means sharing same letters are statistically non-significant

Data presented in Table 2 depicted maximum (39.50) number of heads plant⁻¹ from T₅ followed by T₃ (32.0) and T₄ (28.67) which was statistically significant

compared to T₁ (control), T₂ and T₆ where minimum (20.83, 23.00 and 24.50) heads were observed. The cultivars Leed-00 and Thori-78 recorded the maximum (42.67) and (36.33) heads per plant with T₅, while T₁ showed minimum count for number of heads per plant i.e. (21.00 and 20.67) Table 3. Better availability of nutrients may result in better crop growth rate and ultimately more number of heads in safflower. Statistically significant differences were observed among the interaction of cultivars and treatments. These results are also in line with the findings of [15] [18] who reported that organic fertilizers ensures better availability of nutrients which produced better crop development and also number of pods per plant.

There were significant differences among the treatments for number of seeds per head (Table 2). The maximum (48.67) seeds were recorded when FYM was applied in combination with NP, whereas, the minimum (28.33) seeds per head were observed in T₁ (control) , rest of treatments were statistically different with each other.Leed-00 produced maximum (59.0) and Thori-78 minimum (38.33) . Maximum number of seeds per head for Leed-00 andThori-78 were recorded (59.00, 38.33) in T5 followed by T3. Tested cultivars were statistically different for number of seeds per head which might be due to their different genetic makeup and their response to available soil nutrients [19] [20] also stated significant increase in the number of seeds in safflower as result of INM. The results are also in the line with [20] [21] who reported integrated use of organic and inorganic fertilizers significantly increased the number of seeds per head.

The data regarding 1000-seed weight (Table 2) showed maximum value (42.26 g) from treatment (half (N-P) + FYM @ 2 ton∙ha⁻¹) (T₅) followed by T₃ (40.32 g)

At 0.05 level of significance. Any two means sharing same letters are statistically non-significant.

and T₄ (40.04 g), while the minimum seed weight (32.55 g) was under T₁ (control), furthermore, T₂ and T₆ remained non-significant. Interactive effects for treatments verses cultivars were statistically significant for thousand seed weight. The maximum 1000-seed weight (42.26 g) was observed in Leed-00 by T₅.while Thori-78 showed (42.08 g) 1000-seed weight by the same treatment (T₅). Superior performance of safflower cultivars could be attributed to the more availability of nutrients from farm yard manure applied in combination with inorganic fertilizers [22] (Kubsad et al., 2008). Similar trend was found in the findings of [15] [23] who observed significant differences for 1000 seed weight in safflower by the combined application of synthetic and farm yard manure fertilizers.

Biological yield is a combination of seed yield and straw yield and is direct index of photosynthetic machinery. It becomes more important for multipurpose crop like safflower as the high biological yield will not only provide good seed yield but also more dry matter can be used for fodder purpose. The safflower biological yield increased significantly as a result of addition of chemical fertilizers and organic manure compared to control (Table 2). Maximum biological yield (3034 Kg∙ha⁻¹) was produced by T₅. Data in (Table 3) showed that cultivar Leed-00 produced the maximum (3089 kg/ha) biological yield with the combination of FYM and half (N-P) fertilizers. However, cultivar Thori-78 produced maximum (2978 kg/ha) biological yield by treatment T₅ which was at par with T₄ and T₃. Maximum biological yields with integration of organic and inorganic fertilizers in safflower might be due to the increased availability of nutrients. Our results are in agreement with [24] . Moreover, [25] were of the opinion that balanced application of organic and inorganic fertilizer application has significant impact on stalk yield of safflower

The maximum seed yield (435.7 Kg∙ha⁻¹) was obtained by T₅, followed by T₃ (402.6 Kg∙ha⁻¹) and T₄ (383.3 Kg∙ha⁻¹), while, the minimum (319.8 Kg∙ha⁻¹) seed yield was observed in T₁ (control). There were non-significant differences between the cultivars for seed yield. The overall performance of Leed-00 was better than Thori-78. The maximum (455.2 Kg∙ha⁻¹) seed yield was observed in cultivar for Leed-00 by T₅ and maximum (416.2 Kg∙ha⁻¹) seed yield was recorded in cultivar Thori-78 by T₅. Premier seed yield in tested cultivars of safflower might be due to more availability of nitrogen at vegetative growth stages as combination of inorganic source of nitrogen and farm yard manure [26] [27] . Flourished vegetative growth ultimately performed efficiently as stronger source and translocated more photosynthates resulting in higher seed yield. The results are in the agreement with [14] who concluded that integrated use of organic and inorganic fertilizer performed better over their sole application for the final seed yields of safflower. [28] also concluded that farm yard manure along with recommended dose of fertilizers significantly improved seed yield.

Correlation coefficients among different pair of agronomic traits were calculated to find out relationship among various characters studied. The values of correlation coefficient are presented in (Table 4). It can be observed that seed yield plant⁻¹ was positively correlated with plant height, number of heads plant⁻¹, number of seeds head⁻¹ and 1000-grain weight that revealed importance of these characters in determining yield. Positive relationship between seed yield, plant height, number of heads plant⁻¹ and number of seeds head⁻¹ obtained in this study confirmed the findings of [29] [30] . The height positive correlation coefficient was determined between seed yield plant⁻¹ and plant height (r = 0.890) and seed yield and number of head plant⁻¹ (r = 0.868). These results are in accordance with the findings of [31] who observed highly positive correlation between seed yield per plant and head (capitulum) number.

Figure 2 represents the significant differences for oil contents within the treatments and between the varieties Lead and Thori-78. Fatty acids contents like palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids are very decisive in determining the

* and ** significant at 0.05 level of significance. PH = Plant Height; GW = Grain Weight; NOH = No. of Heads Plant⁻¹; BY = Biological Yield; NOS = No. of Seeds Head⁻¹; SY = Seed Yield.

quality of oil in oil crops. No significant effect of integrated nutrient manage- ment was observed among all the treatments for fatty acid composition. Oil quality is a momentous concern of consumers, particularly for the contents of oleic and linoleic acids which are proven as health source of oil for humans. Saf-flower is considered to be one of the highest quality vegetable oils and consists of mainly palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic acids [32] . Significant difference of the contents of these fatty acids among tested safflower cultivars seems to be a genetic factor as there is no effect of integrated nutrient management was observed. [33] also stated that qualitative characters of a crop depend on seed related factors like genetic makeup.