Zoning and Quantitative Evaluation for Safflower

In this study productivity potential of safflower has surveyed in lands of East Azerbaijan province, Iran. For this reason long term climatic data of 17 climatologically and synoptic stations inside the province were used. The most proper planting date was suggested based on the beginning of rainy season in each part of the province and the different growth stages of dry land safflower were determined. To estimating productivity potential used presented method by FAO. Weighing to agro ecological parameters carried out by Analytical Hierarchy method (AHP). This procedure has been widely documented in a variety of problem area that has been not used extremely in agricultural decisions in developing countries. Coefficient of determination between predicted and observed yield (R2 = 0.71) showed acceptable estimated data. Results indicated that about 1.6% was highly Suitable (S1) for safflower cultivation, contain Marand and Jolfa region (Table 1). East of Tabriz and Varzaghan and Charavimagh about 16.4% of the area, were moderately suitable (S2), but had limited due to insufficient precipitation. An strip region from north east of province (Kaleibar) to south contain Bostanabad, Bonab, Maragheh and Hashtrood, about 72.3% was found to be marginally Suitable (S3). The lowest productivity potential (9.7%) was related to Sarab in east of province due to topography and high altitude.