Evaluating the Relations of Dry Forage Yield and Qualitative Traits and Plant Height of Safflower Cultivars by Using Multivariate Statistical Techniques
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: In order to evaluate relations of dry forage yield and qualitative traits and plant height in three safflower cultivars using multivariate statistical techniques, an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with six treatments in three replications in Karaj Seed and Plant Improvement Institute (SPII) during 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 seasons. Treatments included three cultivars of Goldasht, Golmehr and Parnian with forage harvesting at the 50% of stem elongation stage (rapid stem growth) and the same three cultivars with forage harvesting at the 50% of branching stage. Simple correlation analysis between the traits revealed that plant height (PH) and crude protein (CP) exhibited the strongest correlation with dry forage yield. Regression analysis results indicated that PH, CP, and digestible dry matter (DDM) could be included in the regression model as independent variables for predicting dry forage yield. Further, path analysis demonstrated that plant height had the strongest positive direct effect on forage yield, suggesting its potential use as a selection criterion in safflower forage yield breeding programs. Principal component analysis revealed four components that accounted for about 95% of the total variation. The distribution of cultivars in the biplot space confirmed the presence of genetic diversity among these genotypes in terms of the studied traits. Biplot analysis showed that if the quantity and quality of forage are both taken into consideration, harvesting cultivars at the 50% of branching stage was more effective. In conclusion, the Golmehr cultivar showed high forage yield while the Goldasht cultivar exhibited favorable forage quality. Therefore, these cultivars can be utilized to improve forage yield and quality of safflower.
Institution: Takestan Islamic Azad University
Language: Persian
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7164633366