Effect of vermicompost and nitrogen levels on yield and yield component of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) Under late season drought stress

Due to high dependence of country to supply of plant oil and necessity of using biofertilizers and natural manure to crop plants, instead of chemical fertilizers as the prerequisite to sustainable agriculture, a study was conducted at Khorramabad- Lorestan , Iran, during growing season of 2011. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design with 3 replications. Treatments were 4 levels included Vermicompost rates (V1=0, V2=2, V3=4, V4=6 t/ha-1) and Nitrogen rate (N1=0(control), N2=84, N3=120, N4=154 kg N ha-1) and Irrigation as the main factor in two levels, S1=regular irrigation and S2=Non- irrigation (stress from bloom growth stages). The study indicated that V, N and S were significant effect on seed yield, and yield components. Seed yield and yield components increased with application of Vermicompost and Nitrogen rate but decreased with non- irrigated in bloom stage. The highest yield obtained V4N3S1 with 3556 (kg/ha-1).