Cultivation

The safflower, Cathamus tinctoriusis a plant that does well under warm conditions and that primarily is cultivated in subtropical regions in dry locations. Leading producers are India (224.000 tonnes 2007) and the USA (95.000 tonnes 2007) so as Kazakhstan (65.000 tonnes 2007). In Europe, safflower is cultivated in Spain, Turkey and Hungary.

Utilisation

The seeds of the plant contain as much as 90 per cent unsaturated fatty acids, of which approximately 78 per cent is the nutritionally valuable linolic acid. In contrast, safflower seeds contain no linolenic acid.

The safflower is cultivated today primarily for its oil and only in few cases as a dyers' plant. Various parts of the plant are processed.

Foodstuffs:

• the seeds in the manufacture of cooking oil and margarine

• the petals as food colouring (as a substitute for saffron)

Pharmaceuticals:

• the blossoms and other parts as an analgesic, antibiotic and antipyretic remedy

Sustainable raw materials:

• the oil from the seeds is used for technical applications in the manufacture of lacquers, paints and varnishes
• the petals in the manufacture of dyes for textiles and cosmetics

Gene technology: aims of research and development

Quality traits

Enrichment with traits displaying constitutional effects, such as:

• the formation of the omega-3 fatty acid linolenic acid. Linolenic acid is one of the triple-unsaturated fatty acids that are particularly beneficial to the coronary and circulatory systems.

Sustainable raw materials

Production of pharmaceutical compounds

• molecular pharming: the use of genetically modified safflower as a production system for pharmaceuticals and vaccines.

Agronomic traits

Weed management

• herbicide tolerance

Field trials with GM safflower