Özet:

There is a vegetable oil deficit in Turkey. Oil crops production in Turkey does not meet the requirements of vegetable oil. About 60 % of vegetable oil consumed in Turkey is imported every year paying about 3 billion dollars. Safflower plant being resistant to drought may be one of the alternative oil crops in Turkey. Some of the main obstructions in safflower production in Turkey are low seed yield, low oil content, diseases and insects. The varieties in production have an oil content of about 28-32 %. New superior safflower varieties have to be developed by breeding and selection methods among the existing genetic variation. The Safflower breeding program at Trakya Agricultural Research Institute was initiated in 2000 with two different oil types, oleic and linoleic to develop new varieties which have high yielding capacity, yield stability, high oil content, wide adaptation ability, resistance to diseases and insects prevalent in the region and all over the Turkey. About 60 materials in oleic types and 250 materials in linoleic types collected around the World were tested in observation nurseries and crossing blocks every year. All the materials were planted in the middle of March. Pedigree method was utilized in segregating populations developed after hybridization. Single plant selection was started in F2 population and ended in F7. Each year about 500-600 single plants were selected and replanted next year as a new generation

Anahtar Kelimeler: