Botanical Name and Economic Uses of Safflower

Botanical Name and Economic Uses of Safflower

Local Name                 :           Karadi, Kusum, Kardai, Kusumbha
Family                        :           Compositae
Botanical Name            :      Carthamus tinctorius
Origin                         :           Abyssinia and Afghanistan

Safflower oil does not increase the cholesterol level in human blood and hence good for health.

Economic Uses of Safflower:

1. Safflower is most important rabi oilseed crop grown in Maharashtra.
2. It is grown mainly for edible oil and sometimes for dye purpose.
3. The oil is good for heart patients as it contains polyunsaturated fatty acids.
4. It is drying oil and hence used in manufacture of paints, varnishes, water proofing material, adhesives for glass etc.
5. The oil cake from decorticated seed is fed to cattle.
6. The leaves of young plants are used as vegetable.
7. Red and yellow dye obtained from the flower heads is used for colouring cloths.
8. It is grown as border crop to protect the main crop from domestic animals.
9. Dried stalks are used as fuel or for making paper.
10. Oil content of safflower is about 28 to 30 p.c.