Iran is one of the original areas of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) and therefore can have a suitable role in development of oilseeds cultivation. Results of several studies have indicated significant differences amoung spring genotypes of safflower with respect to seed yield, yield components, and seed oil content. In order to evaluate spring genotypes of safflower for purpose of identifying suitable genotypes for Khosroshahr and areas with similar climate, a field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research center of East Azarbayjan in 2004 using 25 genotypes. in a randomized complet block design with three replications. The results indicated significant differences amoung studied genotypes for plant height, seed and oil yield and yield components. Mainly, genotypes with higher plant height and cupitula numbers per plant, indicated higher seed and oil yield. Cluster analysis based on those traits, placed getoyps into 4 groups. Genotyps having high amount of seed and oil yield per hectar (including 19, 24, 40, 27, 139, 54 and 84) were placed in the same group. Mean seed and oil yield of this group was 3723.3 and 1131.0 Kg/ha respectively. It seems that these genotypes can be cultivated in Khosroshahr and similar regions, and can be used to study stress tolerance.
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