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Technical Kisanखेती, तकनीक के साथ
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Safflower (Kusum)RabiSpiny safflower varietyUpdated 28 August 2026

A-1 (Annigeri 1)

A long-standing spiny variety from UAS Dharwad and for decades the most widely grown safflower in Karnataka; the benchmark a new variety is compared against.

SeasonRabi
Maturity periodAbout 120–130 days
Expected yieldAround 8–12 q/ha rainfed, up to 15 q/ha with a protective irrigation; about 30% oil
Suitable soilDeep and medium-black soils

Quick facts

Crop
Safflower (Kusum)
Type
Spiny safflower variety
Season
Rabi
Maturity period
About 120–130 days
Seed rate
Sole crop 10–12 kg/ha in 45 cm rows; border / intercrop about 5–6 kg/ha
Expected yield
Around 8–12 q/ha rainfed, up to 15 q/ha with a protective irrigation; about 30% oil
Suitable soil
Deep and medium-black soils
Release
Released by UAS Dharwad; long the standard spiny safflower of the Karnataka rainfed tracts

About this variety

A-1, also called Annigeri 1, is a spiny safflower variety from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad. For decades it was the most widely grown safflower in Karnataka and parts of Maharashtra, valued for dependable rainfed performance on black soils and about 30% seed oil. It has no special disease resistance and is susceptible to Fusarium wilt and Alternaria blight in a wet or unseasonal year.

Key characteristics

    Plant typeSpiny safflower variety
    MaturityAbout 120–130 days
    Yield potentialAround 8–12 q/ha rainfed, up to 15 q/ha with a protective irrigation; about 30% oil
    Disease resistanceModerate; susceptible to Fusarium wilt and Alternaria in a wet year
    SoilDeep and medium-black soils
    SeasonRabi

Sowing & cultivation

  • Sowing timeLast week of September to end of October, drilled deep into the receding-monsoon moisture
  • Seed rateSole crop 10–12 kg/ha in 45 cm rows; border / intercrop about 5–6 kg/ha
  • Spacing45 cm between rows; thin to about 20 cm within the row at 2–3 weeks
  • Sowing methodDrill behind the plough into moist black soil, 4–6 cm deep; do not broadcast
  • IrrigationRainfed on stored moisture; one irrigation at the rosette-to-branching stage gives the biggest response where water is available
  • FertilizerRainfed: about 25:25:0 kg N:P2O5:K2O/ha drilled below the seed. Irrigated: 40–60 kg N/ha, half basal and half at the rosette stage
  • HarvestingHarvest at 120–130 days when leaves and heads have dried brown and the seed is hard and white; cut in the cool early morning with gloves and long sleeves

Soil & climate

Soil

Suitable soil
Deep and medium-black soils with good moisture-holding capacity
pH
6.0–8.0

Climate

Climate
A rainfed rabi crop of the Karnataka black-soil belt; unseasonal rain or a humid spell at flowering brings Alternaria, head rot and heavy aphid, to which A-1 is vulnerable

Yield & maturity

Maturity period

About 120–130 days

Expected yield

Around 8–12 q/ha rainfed, up to 15 q/ha with a protective irrigation; about 30% oil

Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.

Pest & disease considerations

Management notes

  • Sow on time and deep into moisture — the single biggest factor in a rainfed crop
  • Scout and spray for aphid early, at the first bud colonies
  • Avoid A-1 where Fusarium wilt has appeared; choose a wilt-tolerant variety there

Advantages & considerations

Why farmers may choose it

  • Dependable, well-tested rainfed performance on Karnataka black soils
  • Widely known to dealers, oil mills and KVKs across the belt
  • About 30% seed oil

Things to consider

  • Spiny — weeding, spraying and hand harvest are slow and painful; a non-spiny variety avoids most of that
  • Susceptible to Fusarium wilt and Alternaria; newer varieties (Phule Kusuma, Phule Chandrabhaga) carry more tolerance

Suitable regions

States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.

  • Karnataka
  • Maharashtra

Frequently asked questions

Is A-1 the same as Annigeri 1?

Yes. A-1 and Annigeri 1 are the same spiny safflower variety from UAS Dharwad, long the standard rainfed safflower of Karnataka and neighbouring Maharashtra.

Should I still grow A-1, or switch to a newer variety?

A-1 is still a dependable rainfed choice on a field with no wilt history and where labour for a spiny crop is available. Where Fusarium wilt has appeared, or where labour is short, a wilt-tolerant or non-spiny variety such as Phule Kusuma, Phule Chandrabhaga, NARI-6 or NARI-57 is the better pick.

Sourced from: ICAR-Indian Institute of Oilseeds Research (IIOR), Hyderabad, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad. editorial policy.