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A field experiment was conducted during 2008-09 to 2012-13 on deep soil (Inceptisol) at Zonal Agricultural Research Station farm to evaluate the effect of integrated nutrient management in non-spiny safflower (cv. NH-1) under dryland conditions of scarcity zone of Maharashtra. Application of 50 kg N + 25 kg P 2 O 5 /ha through integrated nutrient management (50% through organics + 50% through chemical fertilizers) and pest and disease control by IPM recorded significantly higher grain, straw and petal yield (1250, 3025 and 119 kg/ha, respectively), total N uptake (45.84 kg/ha) and oil content (31.9%) with highest gross (H 104977/ ha), net returns (H 83664/ha) and 4.93 benefit:cost ratio. The improvement of soil fertility observed with respect to available N, P and K was prominent with the application of 50 kg N + 25 kg P 2 O 5 /ha through integrated nutrient management (50% through organics + 50% through chemical fertilizers) and pest and disease control by IPM. The soil organic carbon and soil biological properties in terms of total bacteria, fungi, actinomycestes, N fixer and P solubilizer were increased with the application of 50 kg N + 25 kg P 2 O 5 / ha adjusted through FYM, neem cake and leucaena loppings, PSB + Azotobacter seed treatment for pest and disease control by Tricoderma seed treatment + neem oil sprays thrice at 15, 30 and 45 DAS followed by INM.

MgSO4 application showed significant influence on productivity and quality of safflower. Among the various treatments tested, application of MgSO4 @ 750 ppm at bud initiation (BI) and flower initiation (FI) recorded the higher seed yield (1143 kg/ha). The higher volume weight (728.4g/l) and 100 seed weight (6.04 g) was also observed under the same treatment. The effect of MgSO4 @ 750 ppm at BI and FI was also found significantly superior in terms of SPAD index, RLWC, LAI on A and leaf area. Application of MgSO4 @ 500 ppm was statistically at par with MgSO4 @ 750 ppm at BI and FI in many other parameters under study. Numerically higher net monitory returns (Rs. 17667/ha) and B: C ratio (2.14) was realized with application of MgSO4 @ 750 ppm at BI and FI.