Saffron Agronomy and Technology
Year:2014 | Volume:2 | Issue:1|Papers Count:7

Saffron flowering can be mainly affected by mother corm size and phosphorus content of corm. In order to investigate the effects of mother corms size, organic fertilizers and foliar application on corm yield and phosphorus uptake of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) under control conditions, an experiment was conducted in the growing years of 2012-2013 at Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, by using a complete randomized design with 24 treatments and three replications. The mother corms size (0.1-4 g (small), 4.1 – 8 g (medium) and 8-12 g (large), organic fertilizers (cow manure 25 t. ha-1, vermicompost 10 t. ha-1, compost 10 t. ha-1 and control) and micro nutrient (Fe-EDTA and Zn-EDTA) in two levels (foliar application and no application) were the first, second and third experimental factors, respectively. Based on the results, the highest number and yield of replacement corms were observed by using the large (8.1-12g) mother corms. The effect of cow manure on replacement corm yield was significantly more than other organic fertilizers. The effect of foliar application on replacement corms yield were also significant. In addition, the highest concentration and content of phosphorus replacement corms was observed by using the large (8.1- 12g) mother corms. The content of phosphorus in replacement corms was significantly decreased by reducing the size of the mother corms.

Agricultural sector to meet the requests such as a higher yield, less pollution and fulfill consumer demands due to increasing scarcity of resources is under pressure. According to the importance of efficiency in productivity growth, this index can play an important rule, especially in developing countries, for the development of agricultural systems in order to meet these requests. The aim of this study was to evaluate the technical, economic and allocative efficiency of producers of saffron for Qaen region using data envelopment analysis. Information and data is collected through completion 50 questionnaires in year 2011-2012. Results show that average technical efficiency, allocative and economic in condition of constant return to scale are 0.86, 0.92, and 0.88 and in condition of variable return scale are 0.89, 0.92, and 0.80, respectively. Also, according to the results obtained, educating and advising farmers to the proper use of available resources, and promotion, and the use of appropriate technologies such as improved efficiency is recommended.

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is one of the most important crops and medicinal plants in Iran. Appropriate application of nutrients has special important role on replacement corm growth and flower yield of saffron. In order to investigate the effects of different levels of soil and foliar nutrients applications by using mixture fertilizer on replacement corm production and flower yield of saffron, an experiment was conducted by using a factorial layout based on complete randomized block design with three replications at the Agricultural Research Station, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during 2011- 2012 growing season. The experimental treatments were all combinations of four levels of soil nutrition (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg.ha-1) and three levels of foliar spray (0, 5 and 10 per 1000). Results of variance analysis showed that the soil application of treatments had positive significant effects on weight of replacement corms and number and weight of flower and stigma yield of saffron but these treatments had no significant effects on total corm number. The number and yield of replacement corms and flowers were not affected by simple effect of foliar spray and soil and foliar applications interactions. The results of this research showed that the using 150 kg.ha-1 of nutrients soil application in early March had more positive and significant effect on yield of fresh and dry flower (120 and 963 kg.ha-1, respectively), yield of fresh and dry stigma (45.5 and 7.90 kg.ha-1, respectively) and weight of replacement corms (1646 g.m-2) than other treatments but foliar application of nutrients in this time had no significant effects on flower and corm yield of saffron.

In order to study and compare chemical and non-chemical methods of weed management in saffron (Crocus sativus) fields, two field experiments were carried out in a randomized completely block design with three replications at Research Field Station of Gonabad during 2009 to 2011. Treatments included cover crops of barely, Mushroom bed mulch, herbicides of haloxyfop R methyl ester (EC10%), iodosulfuron methyl sodium+mesosulfuron. methyl+mefenpyr. diethy (WG6%) l, hand weeding (DF75%) and control. For determining the ability of treatments for weed control, dry matter of weed, leaf dry weight of saffron, stigma and saffron flower yields were determined. Results showed that dominant weed species were mouse barely (Hordeum murinum), wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum) Hoary cress (Cardaria draba), and yarrow (Achillea millefolium). Herbicides of iodosulfuron methyl sodium+mesosulfuron methyl+mefen pyr. Diethy (WG6%) destroyed grasses and broadleaf, but it destroyed saffron plant too. Haloxyfop. R methyl ester damaged grasses but decreased stigma yield and leaf of saffron. Applied mulch was not be able to control the weeds, however, it increased saffron stigma yield. Cover crops of barley significantly decreased weed dry matter weights. Barley caused least weeds dry matter weight similar to hand weeding. In conclusion, the treatments of cover crops showed the best performances in weed control and saffron yield comparing to other studied weed management methods.

With due attention to facilities, and different potentials and sources in agriculture of Torbat Heydarieh city, this region is suitable for cultivation and production of saffron. In this study comparative advantage of saffron production in Torbat Heydarieh investigated using DRC index and policy analysis matrix (PAM) during 2012-13. Also in this study evaluated comparative advantage of saffron export using RCA and RSCA index. The Results showed that saffron production in Torbat Heydarieh has a comparative advantage. According to the NPC price index is higher than market price and so producers benefited from subsidies and market support. According to the EPC standard, government interventions has a positive effect on production of this crop, so was supported from input and production markets this crop. In result, NSP index was positive in all sectors. Results of these two indexes showed that Iran, Spain and Greece had preferences on export relative advantage in the world during 2004-2012. While value added of Iran saffron export is not considerable, therefore, for improving this condition, joining Iran to the WTO in order to reduce tariffs on exports, paying more attention in marketing and supplying necessary facilities such as foreign exchange support in the country was suggested.

The present paper aimed to determine the criteria for understanding climate and ranking factors influencing saffron and assess its impact on Roshtkhoar city of Khorasan Razavi province. The city of Roshtkhar has potential for increasing saffron cultivation, therefore, the main hypothesis during the research was, which climatic factors had the most influence on the cultivation of saffron in the city Roshtkhar. The research methodology was based on a period of ten years cross-sectional data collected from meteorological stations in the studied area. In this study, with taking into account of climatic factors affecting the cultivation of saffron, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was used to prioritize rural and regional municipalities Roshtkhar cultivated land. Research process included data collection, analysis, statistical analysis, data entry software Expert choice, clustering and selection criteria, and integrating information. The results showed that, among environmental factors, precipitation index (0.281) and temperature coefficient (0.137) had the greatest impact in saffron cultivation. Water resources and evaporation of water had the lowest score in the survey accounted. In the municipalities of the city, Hossein-Abad districts had favorable conditions for growing saffron.

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is cultivated as spices, medicinal and aromatic plant species. At autumn season, heavy rainfall can cause flooding stress and inhibits growth of saffron. Thus this research was conducted to study the effect of silver ion (as an ethylene inhibitor) on growth of saffron under flooding conditions. The corms of saffron were soaked with one concentration of nano silver (0, 40, 80 or 120 ppm) and then planting under flooding stress and non-flooding stress conditions. Results showed that number of roots, root length, root fresh and dry weight, leaves fresh and dry weight were reduced by 10 day flooding stress. Soaking saffron corms with 40 or 80 ppm concentration of nano silver rewarded the effect of flooding stress on the root number, by increasing it. Furthermore, 40 ppm of nano silver increased root length in stress. Nano silver 80 ppm in flooding stress, increased leaves dry weight.