When should I sow safflower (kusum) and which soil and water suits it?

Safflower (kusum) is a rabi oilseed sown from late September through October, mainly on residual moisture in deep black cotton soils of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana. Its great strength is drought tolerance, as its deep taproot pulls moisture from the soil profile, so it is often grown rainfed on stored moisture with little or no irrigation. It dislikes waterlogging. Sow on time so it flowers and matures in the cool dry period. The plant has spines on most types, so spineless varieties ease the harvest. It needs few inputs. Confirm the recommended variety, whether spiny or spineless, and the exact window for your area with your KVK.