BIOENERGETIC POTENTIAL OF Carthamus tinctorius L. IN CULTIVARS WITH REDUCED SPINES: A CONTRIBUTION TO FAMILY FARMING
Family farming, Biofuel, Carthamus tinctorius L, Oilseed
The growth in energy demand and the environmental impacts caused by the burning of fossil fuels have intensified the search for renewable and sustainable energy sources. In this context, Brazil has invested in public policies aimed at biofuel production, such as the National Program for the Production and Use of Biodiesel (PNPB) and the Social Biofuel Seal, which seek to integrate family farmers into the clean energy production chain. Among the crops with potential for this purpose, safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) stands out. It is an oilseed of the Asteraceae family, highly adapted to the semiarid Northeast region, and has properties favorable to biodiesel production and application in family farming. This research aims to evaluate the perception of safflower and the Social Biofuel Seal among a group of Agricultural Sciences students at UFERSA, as well as to research and analyze the safflower cultivars IMAMT 1470 and IMAMT 7329 with thorns and with reduced thorns, through the evaluation of morphophysiological characteristics and the oil content of the seeds, in order to identify whether the cultivars with reduced thorns have greater potential for cultivation in family farming in the semiarid Northeast region.