Safflower, also known as Honghua (Carthamus tinctorius), belongs to the Asteraceae family and is used medicinally for its ability to invigorate blood circulation, dispel blood stasis, and relieve swelling and pain. It is primarily indicated for conditions such as dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea, uterine blood stasis, and traumatic injuries. In addition to its medicinal uses, safflower is also a natural pigment and dye. The seeds of safflower contain 20% to 30% safflower oil, which is an important industrial raw material and health oil. Safflower is mainly produced in Henan, Zhejiang, Sichuan, Hebei, Xinjiang, and Anhui, and is cultivated nationwide, with a significant increase in domestic and international consumption in recent years. The following are the quality and safe cultivation techniques for safflower.
01
Site Selection and Land Preparation
① Site Selection
Safflower has strong adaptability and can be cultivated at altitudes below 2100 meters. It prefers a warm, dry climate with ample sunlight, is drought-resistant and cold-resistant, and should be planted in moderately fertile, well-drained sandy soil. It is not suitable for low-lying, waterlogged clay soils.
② Land Preparation
Previous crops should ideally be corn, cotton, soybeans, peanuts, flue-cured tobacco, or rice. After harvesting, the land should be plowed to a depth of 18 to 25 centimeters, broken up, and cleared of dead branches and weeds to ensure a fine and level seedbed. Apply base fertilizer at 2500 to 3000 kilograms per hectare, and after a few days, plow and rake again, and rake once more before sowing to ensure the soil is fine and loose. Create beds to facilitate drainage. In rice fields, no-till planting methods can be adopted.
02
Seed Selection and Sowing
① Seed Selection
When cultivating safflower, a seed reserve area should be established. Before harvest, select plants that are growing normally, of moderate height, with many branches, large flowers, orange-red color, early maturity, and free from diseases as seed plants. Harvest the seed plants once they are fully mature. Before sowing, use a sieve to select seeds, choosing large, plump, and white seeds for planting.
② Sowing
In the north, spring sowing is predominant. Sowing begins in March to April when the soil is workable. The row spacing should be 40 centimeters, with a plant spacing of 25 centimeters, digging holes 2 to 4 centimeters deep, placing 2 to 3 seeds in each hole, firming the soil, leveling it, and watering. The seeding rate is 3 to 4 kilograms per mu. In the south, autumn sowing is predominant, ideally between the cold dew and the beginning of winter, with the best time being around the frost descent. Generally, point sowing is used, with row spacing of 33 to 40 centimeters, plant spacing of 24 to 27 centimeters, and hole depth of 6 to 9 centimeters, with staggered hole positions forming a triangular pattern. After making the holes, sow 5 to 6 seeds per hole, with a seeding rate of about 3 to 4 kilograms per mu. Cover the seeds with about 3 centimeters of soil after sowing.
03
Field Management
① Thinning and Replanting
Safflower typically emerges 7 to 10 days after sowing. When the seedlings have 2 to 3 true leaves, the first thinning should be done to remove weak seedlings; the second thinning, or final planting, should leave 1 to 2 plants per hole. Replant in gaps on overcast days.
② Cultivation and Weeding
Generally, three cultivations are performed, with the first and second occurring simultaneously with thinning, loosening the topsoil to a depth of 3 to 6 centimeters. The third cultivation should be done before the plants close in, combined with hilling.
③ Fertilization
Three rounds of topdressing are done, after the first two thinnings. Apply 6000 to 11250 kilograms of livestock manure water per hectare for the first topdressing, 150 kilograms of ammonium sulfate for the second, and 225 kilograms of superphosphate for the third, which is done before the plants close in and start budding.
④ Pinching
After the third cultivation and topdressing, appropriate pinching can be done to encourage more branching and larger flowers.
⑤ Drainage and Irrigation
Safflower is drought-resistant but sensitive to waterlogging. Generally, irrigation is not needed, but during the seedling and budding stages, if drought occurs, watering should be done to increase flower buds and flower size, thus improving yield. Timely drainage is necessary during the rainy season.
04
Pest and Disease Control
① Root Rot
In early May, especially during rainy weather before and after flowering, root rot can occur severely. Initially, lateral roots turn black, gradually spreading to the main root, which rots and causes the entire plant to die. Infected plants should be promptly removed and burned to prevent spreading to nearby plants. Sprinkle some quicklime in the infected holes to kill root nematodes, and irrigate with a 1000-fold solution of 50% tobramycin.
② Heartworm
This pest poses a significant threat to flower heads; once it burrows into the flower head, the flowers die, severely affecting yield. During the budding stage, apply methamidophos as a foliar spray 2 to 3 times to kill the heartworm.
③ Aphids
Use a 0.3% sophora alkaloid emulsion at 800 to 1000-fold dilution or a 50% imidacloprid solution at 1000-fold dilution for spraying.
④ Rust Disease
Promptly remove infected plants; in the early stages of the disease, spray with a 50% powdery mildew solution at 400 to 600-fold dilution or a 25% triazole solution at 1000-fold dilution, spraying every 7 to 10 days for 2 to 3 times.
05
Harvesting and Processing
Safflower planted in the south flowers in May to June, while in the north, it flowers in August to September. Once in full bloom, safflower should be harvested promptly, with each flower head being able to be picked 2 to 3 times, approximately every 2 to 3 days. Safflower has thorns, making harvesting challenging; harvesters can wear thick waterproof clothing in the fields or harvest in the early morning when the dew has not dried, as the thorns become softer, facilitating the process. The harvested safflower should be dried in a cool place; if it rains, it can be dried using low heat, keeping the temperature below 45°C; do not stack undried safflower to prevent mold and spoilage. Generally, the yield is 30 to 40 kilograms of dried safflower per mu (with high yields reaching 50 kilograms) and 15 kilograms of seeds.
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