The present study was carried out to determine the changes in some reserve molecules of safflower seeds during germination and early seedling growth. The seeds of 2 safflower cultivars were used as plant material (Dincer 5-118 and Montola 2000). Seeds were germinated for 72 h and observations were taken every 12 h throughout the study. Changes in total oil content (%), total protein content (%), total soluble sugar contents (TSS, mg g(-1)), and reducing sugar contents (RS, mg g(-1)) were determined for each cultivar during germination and seedling growth. The oil content of the cultivars decreased from 54.7% and 57.4% to 49.5% and 45.1% for Dincer 5-118 and Montola 2000, respectively. The total protein contents of Dincer 5-118 and Montola 2000 were 32.5% and 28.0% at Oh, and, at the end of the study, the total protein contents had decreased to 26.3% and 23.8%, respectively. The TSS and RS contents were lower at the end of the study; however, the amounts of TSS and RS varied throughout the study. Results suggest that significant changes took place in the oil, protein, and sugar metabolisms.