JOURNAL OF SAFFRON RESEARCH
Year:2013 | Volume:1 | Issue:1|Papers Count:6

Saffron (Crocus sativus) is known as one of the most valuable spice and medicinal plant worldwide and especially in Iran. Despite the high importance of this strategic plant, there are only few studies about the role of nutrients on saffron growth. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of different levels of phosphorus and nitrogen on the uptake of these nutrients, and also production of saffron daughter corms. A pot experiment was conducted as a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement under open door conditions. Different levels of phosphorus (0, 35 and 70 kg.ha-1) and nitrogen (0, 50 and 100 kg.ha-1) with three replications were treated. Also, two harvests were performed to cover two different growth periods. After each harvest, fresh and dry weight of corm and leaf, the number of daughter corms and the concentration of phosphorus and nitrogen in the corm and leaf were determined. The results of this study showed that by increasing P, the fresh weight of saffron corms was increased and the number of corms was decreased. While an inverse trend was observed with nitrogen application. The weight of corms and leaves were increased over time. Uptake and concentration of phosphorus and nitrogen in the second harvest of saffron were increased in corm, whilst they were declined in leaves.

Use of organic inputs and suitable density of corm are two agronomic important factors to achieve the maximum yield in saffron (Crocus sativus L.). In order to study the effects of spent mushroom compost (SMC) levels and corm densities on agronomic characteristics, flower and stigma yields of saffron, a greenhouse experiment was conducted as factorial layout based on a randomized completed block design with three replications at the Campus of Agricultural Research Greenhouse, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during two years of 2009 and 2010. Factors were three levels of SMC (0, 60 and 120 t.ha-1) and three corm densities (50, 100 and 150 corm.m-2). Leaf and tunic dry weights, leaf length, number and weight of corms in three groups (2-4, 4-8 and 8-16 g), corm diameter, flower number, flower fresh weight and stigma yield of saffron were measured. Results indicated that the simple effects of SMC levels and corm densities on leaf and tunic dry weights, leaf length, corm diameter, number and weight of corms in different groups, flower number, flower fresh weight and economical yield of saffron were significant (p£0.05). By increasing in corm density, growth, flower production and yield of saffron were enhanced. By increasing in corm density from 50 to 150 corms.m-2, flower and stigma yield were decreased up to 12%. Application of 60 t.ha-1 SMC enhanced growth characteristics and economical yield of saffron and these traits were declined afterwards. The maximum and the minimum flower fresh weight and stigma yield of saffron were observed in 60 t.ha-1 SMC (55.05 and 0.51 kg.ha-1) and control (46.22 and 0.43 kg.ha-1), respectively. Therefore, it seems that the application of appropriate levels of organic inputs and corm density must be considered for this cash crop.

Saffron as the most precise agricultural and pharmaceutical product of the world has a specific place in industrial and export products of Iran. Nowadays, Iran is the largest producer and exporter of saffron in world, as up to 65% of production of this valuable commodity belongs to it. Despite the antiquity of saffron cultivation and added value of this product compare to other current corps of Iran, fewer shares of new technologies is dedicated to saffron and its production is mainly based on indigenous knowledge. In this paper multiple models are conducted in order to evaluate and develop the performance of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) to calculate estimate production of yield Saffron based on Climate Parameters. The calibration and evaluation of models are yielded from the statistics of crop yield and climate factors between years 1988–2007. In order to evaluate models the following statistical criterions are used: Correlation Coefficient (CC), Mean Absolute Error (MAE) and Mean Square Error (MSE). The results are permissible and indicate that the proposed ANN has correlation coefficient of 0.8, MAE of 0.69 and MSE of 0.66 in estimating yield Saffron. Sensitivity analysis of models has shown that the yield production has the most dependency with rain factor, then with temperature factor and finally with humidity factor. Finally, the proposed ANN can enhance the yield Saffron production in climate circumstance of associated area.

In order to study the effects of organic and chemical fertilizers on corm morphological and agronomic traits of saffron (Crocus sativus L.), an experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design with four replications at Torbat-e- Heydarieh during growing season 2011-2012. Treatments included organic fertilizer consisting 20 t.ha-1 of municipal waste compost, 40 t.ha-1 of cow manure, chemical fertilizers (with 50, 25 and 25 kg.ha-1 that are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, respectively) and control (without fertilizer). Results indicated that effect of fertilizer treatment was significant on the growth indices of saffron; however, the effective fertilizer kind is different in each of corm weights. The highest total weight of corm, weight and number of>8 g corm, number of 4-8 g corm and was shown in cow manure fertilizer. The highest total number of corm and weight and number of less than 1 g corm was obtained in chemical fertilizer treatment and length and width leaf. The highest weight of 1-4 g corm was shown in municipal waste compost fertilizer treatment.

In this research the change trends of weight and number of saffron corms during different years of cultivation based on furrow and basin irrigation were investigated. The results showed that the number of corms under furrow irrigation method was more than other irrigation method. The corm weights for most of times were higher in furrow irrigation. The total number of saffron corms and corm number less than 4 g were increased until six years and afterward it was decreased. The weight and corm number between 4-8 g and less than 4 g increased until five years after cultivation and after that was decreased. But, total weight of saffron corms and corm number by weight with more than 8 g decreased since the first year of cultivation.

In order to investigate the effects of mulch types and different cover crops on relative frequency, density and biomass of weeds and agronomic characteristics and flower and stigma yield of saffron (Crocus sativus L.), an experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Agricultural Research Station, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, during two growing season 2009-2010 and 2010-2011. Treatments were three crop residues such as sunflower, barley and garlic and six cover crop species included barley, matter pea, rye, Persian clover, vetch and arugula and control. Studied characteristics were population, density and biomass of weeds and flower number, fresh weight of flower, stigma yield, leaf emergence rate and flowering rate. Results showed that the effect of treatments was significant (p£0.01) on dry weight and density of weeds. The lowest weed density of narrow-leaf and broad-leaf species were observed in vetch with 0.7 and 0.8 species.m-2 and highest was for control with 11.3 and 16.2 species.m-2, respectively. Also, treatments had significant effects (p£0.01) on leaf emergence rate, flowering rate, flower number, fresh weight of flower and stigma yield of saffron. The maximum flower number and stigma yield were achieved in vetch with 244550.0 flowers.ha-1 and 1010.1 g m-2 and the minimum were for control with 66241.7 flowers ha-1 and 187.5 g m-2, respectively. Applying different crop residues and cover crops decreased density and dry weight of weeds decreased due to allelopathy trait of them. Cover crops increased growth and yield of saffron due to enhancement in nutrient and nitrogen availability as nitrogen fixation and improvement in soil characteristics.