The effect of drought stress on the damage of safflower fly, Acanthophilus helianthi Rossi (Dip., Tephritidae) on three cultivars of safflower, Carthamus tinctorius L. in Tehran region

Subject Areas : entomology and othea arthropods

G. H. Hasanshahi ¹ , A. Askarianzadeh ²

1 - Plant Protection Department, College of Agricultural Sciences, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran
2 - Plant Protection Department, College of Agricultural Sciences, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2012-01-04 Accepted : 2012-06-10 Published : 2012-05-21

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Abstract :

The effect of drought stress on damage of safflower fly, Acanthophilus helianthi Rossi (Dip., Tephritidae) was compared on three cultivars of safflower, Carthamus tinctorius L. by an experiment in split plot arrangement in completely randomized design in 2011. Where levels of irrigation including complete irrigation during whole growing season (S1), cutting irrigation at flowering stage (S2) and cease irrigation at heading stage (S3) as main plot, and safflower cultivars including Goldasht, Padideh and C44 as sub-plot. Percentage of infested boll and seed weight were sampled in the experimental plots. Results indicated a significant difference at 1% level in percentage of infested bolls among drought stresses. Also, percentage of infested boll and 1000-seed weight in healthy boll had significant difference among cultivars. The highest and lowest percentage of infested boll belonged to S3 (69.44%) and S2 (65.94), respectively. The highest and lowest percentage of infested boll belonged to Padideh cultivar (68.05%) and Goldasht cultivar (50.09%). Results showed that in non-stress conditions, Goldasht has the best growth and resistance to safflower fly, while in drought stress conditions, Padideh is the best alternative but overall Goldasht was cultivar recognized as the most resistant in among of three cultivars. In this cultivar, damage of some seeds in a boll increased 1000-seed weight in healthy seed of the boll because 1000-seed weight in infested boll is more than healthy 1000-seed weight in infested boll. It is probable that compensation phenomenon in Goldasht cultivar appears against safflower fly damage.