The aim of the research was to evaluate safflower variety samples by their productivity and oil quality in the Middle Volga region. The studies were conducted in 2016-2018 on the experimental field of Penza Agricultural Institute. The vegetative period of safflower in 2016 proceeded in moderately moist conditions with a hydrothermal coefficient (HTC) of 1.1 and an average daily temperature of 20.1°C. The vegetation period of 2017 was characterized as insufficiently moistened with the HTC of 0.82 units. The conditions of 2018 were severely arid, the HTC was only 0.4 at average daily temperatures of 19.3°C. The growing season from full germination to full maturation of safflower in the conditions of the Middle Volga region averaged 114-119 days. The studied varieties of safflower on average for three years formed a fairly high and stable yield of 1.12 and 1.45 t/ha. The maximum yield of safflower seeds was obtained in 2018, when the conditions were arid, and averaged from 1.27 to 1.59 t/ha. The largest seeds were formed by varieties Astrakhanskiy 747 and Aleksandrit, the weight of 1000 seeds was 45.6 and 44.6 g. The huskness was 33.17% in average. The fat content in the seeds was high and amounted to 33.6-37.1%. The variety Alexandrit was distinguished by oil content, the oil content of which was 37.1%. All varieties were characterized by a very high content of linoleic acid 75.2-77.6%, with a very low amount of linolenic acid – 0.12-0.19%. The content of monounsaturated oleic acid varied in the range of 12.2-14.5%.

№1(1) (2019)