Despite being native to semi-arid environments, safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) growth, seed yield, and physiological responses under contrasting temperature and moisture conditions typically occurring in semi-arid regions are not fully understood. Thus, three field experiments and a greenhouse study were conducted to study the growth, yield, and physiological attributes of six safflower genotypes under different environmental conditions. Spring-sown and summer-sown plants were subjected to contrasting environmental conditions in two 4-replicate randomized complete block design (RCBD) field experiments. In the third field experiment (a 3-replicate split plot RCBD) and the greenhouse study (a 3-replicate RCBD), the safflower genotypes were subjected to different irrigation regimes of no stress to severe drought. Spring-sown safflower outperformed the summer-sown crop in terms of seed filling rate (SFR) by 93%, seeds head⁻¹ by 62%, 1000-seeds weight by 30%, seed yield by 53%, oil concentration by 16% and protein concentrations by 22%. Plant dry mass (PDM) for the summer-sown safflower was 25% greater than the spring-sown one. In contrast to a 21% increase in seed protein concentration, severe drought led to notable decreases in leaf chlorophyll a (chl-a), chl-b and total chlorophyll (chl-tot) concentrations, leaf area, relative water content (RWC), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities, membrane stability index (MSI), oil concentration, yield components and consequently seed yield (36%) and PDM (34%). Genotype Kouseh tended to maintain its seed yield and quality across the environmental conditions, potentiating this under-utilized crop as an alternative to be endorsed in crop rotations of semi-arid climates.

尽管原产于半干旱环境，红花（Carthamus tinctoriusL.) 生长、种子产量和在典型发生在半干旱地区的对比温度和湿度条件下的生理反应尚不完全清楚。因此，进行了三个田间试验和一个温室研究，以研究不同环境条件下六种红花基因型的生长、产量和生理特性。春播和夏播植物在两个 4 重复随机完全区组设计 (RCBD) 田间试验中受到对比环境条件的影响。在第三个田间试验（一个 3 个重复的裂区 RCBD）和温室研究（一个 3 个重复的 RCBD）中，红花基因型接受了不同的灌溉制度，对严重干旱没有压力。春播红花的种子灌浆率 (SFR) 比夏播作物高 93%，种子头^-1为 62%，1000 粒种子重量为 30%，种子产量为 53%，油浓度为 16%，蛋白质浓度为 22%。夏播红花的植物干重 (PDM) 比春播红花高 25%。与种子蛋白质浓度增加 21% 相比，严重干旱导致叶片叶绿素 a (chl- a )、chl- b显着减少和总叶绿素 (chl-tot) 浓度、叶面积、相对含水量 (RWC)、过氧化氢酶 (CAT) 和抗坏血酸过氧化物酶 (APX) 活性、膜稳定性指数 (MSI)、油浓度、产量成分和种子产量 (36 %) 和 PDM (34%)。基因型 Kouseh 倾向于在整个环境条件下保持其种子产量和质量，从而使这种未充分利用的作物成为半干旱气候作物轮作中认可的替代品。