SAFFLOWER (CARTHAMUS TINCTORIUS L.) A MULTIPURPOSE OILSEED CROP FOR THE MEDITERRANEAN REGION

Mediterranean farmers mostly rely on winter cereals, this making weed management highly challenging due to the selection of herbicide-resistant weeds and the increasing pressure on soil-borne diseases. Crop diversification represents a valid strategy for sustainable weed management and it is essential for an agroecological transition and for ensuring sustainable and resilient farming systems. The need for crop diversification has also to meet the market requests, with particular attention to the domestic shortage of vegetable oil and proteins. In this scenario, new perspectives are open for innovative winter oilseed crops, such as afflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.). Safflower is of particular interest in view of its high suitability to Mediterranean climate, low input needs, high plant vigor, also in marginal soil conditions, and tolerance to low temperature. Aiming at evaluating the feasibility of high oleic safflower as a winter oilseed crop in the Mediterranean region, a multi-year and multi-location study has been carried out, across three growing seasons (2019-2021), in several locations in Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany regions (Italy), traditionally devoted to cereal cultivation