Introducing the safflower plant:
Safflower oil seed, also known as safflower in English, is one of Iran's native plants, and the cultivation of its native species has been popular since long ago, especially in the fields. Safflower is a branchy and leafy, herbaceous, and semi-thorny one-year plant whose height varies from 21-151 cm. Its flowers are usually yellow, its oil content is 25-45% and its seeds are similar to sunflower seeds and smaller. Safflower has a well-defined vertical root, often fleshy, and usually produces numerous thin lateral roots. The vertical root usually penetrates to a depth of 2-4 meters in the soil, and this feature of deep root penetration allows the plant to absorb moisture and nutrients from a significant mass of soil. Saffron has long been known as a dye source among the carpet weavers of Iran and Afghanistan and was usually transported from this region to the south of the Soviet Union. About half of the saffron produced is in India and the United States is the next. With the modification and improvement of spring and autumn cultivars, safflower cultivation is increasing globally. The presence of wild types of safflower that are scattered throughout the country of Iran indicates the high adaptability of this oilseed to the country's weather conditions. The high tolerance of safflower against abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, and heat on the one hand, and having autumn, spring, and summer types compatible with the country's weather conditions on the other hand, sets a promising future for the development of the cultivation of this oilseed.
What is the quality of safflower oil?
Safflower is one of the multi-purpose oilseed plants whose seeds contain 21-25% oil and 14-19% protein. The quality of the oil of this plant is the highest among oil plants due to the amount of linoleic acid between 71 and 11 percent, and it is equal to olive oil in terms of quality. The amount of saturated fatty acids in olive oil is lower than that of safflower oil. On the other hand, safflower oil has a milder taste compared to olive oil. During an experiment conducted on 21 healthy men, the use of safflower oil was able to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases to a very high extent by affecting the function of blood platelets. In recent research, the beneficial effects of safflower oil on reducing cancer have also been reported. Helping the country's self-sufficiency: Among the basic goods, the country's highest dependence on imports is related to edible oil, and over 95%.
Application of safflower seeds as livestock and poultry feed:
Its seeds are used to feed birds, especially parrots, and pigeons. Unpeeled safflower seed meal is used as a protein supplement in animal feed. The meal of this plant has a bitter taste, but if we mix it with sugar beet meal, livestock will use it with great interest. Safflower flour has 20% protein and 25% fiber. Saffron is a valuable fodder and its fodder value and performance are similar to or better than oats and alfalfa. So it is recommended to harvest it in the middle of budding to the early flowering stage as fodder. Livestock, especially sheep, show a great appetite and desire to eat safflower straw and stubble, and fresh safflower fodder before flowering, even in prickly cultivars, is tasty for livestock and is easily eaten by sheep. Research reports an increase in the quality of red meat in animals that have safflower in their daily diet. Safflower can be stored as dry fodder or silage.
