Effect of tillage methods on growth period of spring safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) grown in Isfahan province of Iran

In order to assess the effect of different tillage methods on growth period of two safflower cultivars, an experiment was conducted using strip plot design in the layout randomized complete block design with four replications in the research field of Isfahan Branch, Islamic Azad University during 2014. The horizontal factors were three tillage methods comprising conventional, low tillage and no tillage, whereas the vertical were two spring safflower cultivars, namely, Soffeh and Goldasht. Data were analyzed using SAS software. Mean comparison was conducted based on Duncan's multiple range test. The results showed significant effect of tillage methods on days to greening, days to stem elongation, days to maturity and capitulum development. So no tillage and conventional had the lowest and the highest amount of these traits. The effect of cultivar was significant on days to capitulum development, heading and maturity with the maximum amount in Soffeh cultivar. The interaction effect of cultivar and tillage method on days to heading and maturity was significant revealing necessity of interpretation of the results based on these effects.