Identification of suitable safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) based intercropping systems with ideal row ratios for enhancing the system profitability

Intercropping is an efficient strategy for enhancing productivity, resource use efficiency and farm profitability in dryland cropping systems. A field experiment entitled Identification of Suitable Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) Based Intercropping Systems with Ideal Row Ratios for Enhancing the system profitability was conducted during rabi 2024–25 at KVK, Bellampalli, in randomized block design with nine treatments and three replications. The soil was sandy clay loam, alkaline in reaction (pH 7.8), low in nitrogen, and medium in phosphorus and potassium. Significant differences were observed among treatments for growth and yield parameters. Sole safflower (T₁) produced the tallest plants (85 cm), maximum dry matter at harvest (70.50 g plant⁻1) and superior yields (seed yield 1574 kg ha⁻¹, haulm yield 3226 kg ha⁻¹). Among intercropping systems, safflower + chickpea (2:4 ratio) (T₆) outperformed others, recording higher seed yield (1640 kg ha⁻¹) and stalk yield (4100 kg ha⁻¹) and was comparable to sole cropping. Conversely, safflower + mustard (1:3 ratio) (T₅) was least effective, with reduced growth and yield. The study clearly established that safflower + chickpea (2:4) is a promising intercropping system for improving crop productivity and sustaining profitability under dryland conditions.