Saffron Agronomy and Technology
Year:2018 | Volume:6 | Issue:2|Papers Count:9

Due to climate change it seems that the suitable area for production of saffron is shifting towards the Northern area of Khorasan. On the other hand, corm density and nutrient management are important factors in saffron production. To find out the credibility of this assumption, an experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete blocks design arranged in split plot with three replications in a field located 10 km of Shirvan during the 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 growing seasons. Corm density (50, 100 and 150 corm. m-2) and different amounts of chemical and organic manure [No fertilizer (Control), amount of urea, triple super phosphate and potassium sulfate 100, 100, 50 (C1), 200, 200, 100 (C2) and 300, 300, 150 (C3), cow manure consumption based on 100 kg. ha-1 urea (3066 kg. ha-1), based on 200 kg. ha-1 urea (6132 kg. ha-1) and based on 300 kg. ha-1 urea (9198 kg. ha-1)] were allocated to the main and sub-plots, respectively. Three year average of harvest showed that flower and corm traits improved with increasing corm density and cow manure consumption, while the highest density compared to minimum density caused increasing flower number, fresh flower yield, dried stigma yield, daughter corm number and corm yield by 35, 61, 29, 180 and 122 percent, respectively. Also the highest amount of cow manure compared to control increased flower number, fresh flower yield, dried stigma yield and corm yield by 32, 51, 38 and 51 percentages, respectively. Therefore, more flower and corm yield were obtained in 9198 kg. ha-1 cow manure consumption with 150 corm. m-2 planting density. Therefore, it seems that the production of saffron is suitable using with organic manure compared with chemical manure. Moreover, saffron planting with high corm density is a solution for improving the yield of saffron in the early years of planting.

The combined effect of water and nutrient availability is one of the most important factors in corm growth and flowering of saffron. In addition, it seems that applying water in amounts more than conventional amounts in semi-arid areas can be more useful in saffron cultivation. Accordingly, the effects of irrigation regimes [two and four weeks intervals equal to application of 3600 (conventional irrigation treatment) and 7200 m3. ha-1 (extensive-irrigation treatment) during saffron growth], as well as organic (30 ton. ha-1 cow manure based on soil and manure analysis results) and chemical fertilizers (220, 150 and 100 kg. ha-1 urea, super-phosphate and potassium sulfate, respectively) with a control treatment (no-fertilizer) are studied on some physiological growth indices, corm production and flowering of saffron in this experiment. The experiment was conducted as factorial based on a randomized completely block design with three replications in Sarayan county, Iran, during 2014-2016. Vegetative growth indices were studied during the first growth cycle, while flowering indices were measured during the second growth season. Total biomass has an increasing trend during saffron growth cycle in all treatments. This index was higher in cow manure treatment in both levels of water availability, during the last two growth months. Crop growth rate (CGR) was slow (below 3. 9 g. m-2. day-1), rapid (3. 9-12 g. m-2. day-1) and intermediate (5. 5 g. m-2. day-1) in the early (the first 90 days of growth), middle (90-150 days after growth) and late (150-180 days of growth) growth periods. The highest CGR (12 g. m-2. day-1) was obtained in cow manure treatment and 145 days after the first autumnal irrigation. In all treatments, leaf weight ratio (leaf to total plant weight ratio) has a decreasing trend from two months after the first irrigation until the end of the growth cycle and it is slightly higher in fertilization treatments. Cow manure application increased the corm production and total corms weight per plant by 15 and 13%, respectively, compared with the control treatment. The highest mean weight of replacement corms (6. 4 g) was shown in combined treatment of cow manure and two weeks' irrigation intervals. The highest values of flower number (98 flower per m2), flower yield (24. 3 g. m-2), style yield (0. 56 g. m-2) and dry petal yield (3. 7 g. m-2) were obtained in plants that had been treated with cow manure and received water in intervals of 4 weeks. In cow manure fertilizer and control treatments, the highest flower and stigma yield were obtained in irrigation intervals of 4 weeks, while in chemical fertilizer treatment, the highest flower and stigma yield were obtained in 2 week irrigation intervals. Therefore, it seems that application of cow manure combined with consumption of 3600 m3. ha-1 is suitable during the first growth cycle of saffron during which corm density and transpiration area are low.

To evaluate the effects of application time and type of organic and chemical fertilizers on yield and yield components of saffron, an experiment was conducted as factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications in Sheshtamad, Khorasan Razavi province, Iran. The factors were time of fertilizer foliar application (January and early February) and the type of fertilizer: Humic acid (0. 5 L. ha-1), Amino acid fertilizer (0. 5 L. ha-1), Complete fertilizer (2 L. ha-1), Complete fertilizer+amino acids (1 L. ha-1+0. 5 L. ha-1) and a control without the use of fertilizers. In this experiment, fresh weight of flower, number of flowers per square meter, stigma length, stigma+style yield and stigma yield were measured. The results showed that the highest flower fresh weight (200. 6 kg. ha-1), number of flowers (68. 5), stigma length (2. 57 cm), stigma+style yield (3. 6 kg. ha-1) and stigma yield (1. 75 kg. ha-1) were achieved by foliar application of complete fertilizer+amino acids. Fertilizer application time had a significant effect on fresh weight of flower, number of flowers per square meter, stigma length, stigma+style yield and stigma yield. Fertilizer application in February had higher positive effect than its application in March. Reaction of yield was also different to time of fertilizer application. In early February, using complete fertilizer was better compared to other fertilizers while in March complete fertilizer + amino acid or complete fertilizer had more yield compared to other fertilizers.

The current study investigates the effects of different levels of nutrient and Fe foliar application on stigma and flower yield of saffron. A field experiment was conducted as a factorial layout based on complete randomized block design with three replications at the Agricultural Research Station, the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran in 2012-2014. The experimental factors included chemical fertilizer (NPK) at three levels (0-0-0, 30-15-30, 60-30-60 kg. ha-1), vermicompost at two levels (0, 4 t. ha-1), humic acid at two levels (0, 5 kg. ha-1) and two levels of Fe foliar spraying concentration (0, 0. 08 μ mol). The number of flower, fresh and dry weight of stigma and flower yield were determined for two years. The results of analysis of variance revealed that the studied experimental factors had a significant effect on quantitative traits of saffron flowers and stigma. There was a significant difference between the chemical fertilizer levels on flower number and stigma dry weight. The highest flower number (165. m-2) and stigma dry weight (1. 16 g. m-2) were obtained in the NPK fertilizer (60-30-60) treatment. Moreover, the interaction between chemical fertilizer and other factors was significant and led to the improvement of the number of flowers and stigma dry weight per unit of area. Stigma dry weight increased in vermicompost, humic acid and Fe foliar application compared with control (3. 3 1. 3 and 2. 7 percent, respectively). However, two-way interaction of factors did not affect the number of flower. m-2. In addition, the three-way interaction of humic acid, vermicompost and chemical fertilizer significantly affected stigma dry weight. m-2. Four-way interaction of all studied factors including year, vermicompost, chemical fertilizer and Fe foliar spraying were significant on flower dry weight and stigma fresh and dry weight per unit area when compared with control (p≤ 0. 05). Quantitative traits of flower and stigma in the second year improved in comparison with the first year. The interaction effects between year and chemical fertilizer was significant on the traits that were studied.

The effects of application of humic acid and planting density on vegetative and reproductive characteristics of saffron were evaluated under field conditions. Treatments were four levels humic acid (0, 5, 10 and 15 kg. ha-1) and three density plantings (50, 75 and 100 corm. m-2). This experiment was carried out as a factorial based on randomized completely block design with three replications in the research farm of Birjand University, Iran, during the cropping year 2015-2016. The results showed that humic acid levels improved the corm vegetative indices (total weight of corm, fresh and dry weight of corm). The highest total weight of corm (23. 09 g. plant-1) was obtained in with 5 kg. ha-1 humic acid. The results also showed that humic acid improved the saffron flower characteristics (flower number and fresh total yield, stigma fresh and dry yield) in the second year. The highest stigma fresh (1. 35 g. m-2) and stigma dry (0. 23 g. m-2) yield were obtained in plants treated with 10 kg. ha-1 humic acid while the lowest values were recorded in the control group. Application of different levels of planting density had a positive effect on flower number and fresh total yield, stigma fresh and dry yield in the second year of experiment. The highest of these characteristics were observed in planting density of 100 corm. m-2. Application of different levels of planting density and humic acid had a positive effect on the stigma length and stigma fresh yield. Thus, the results showed that 5 kg. ha-1 of humic acid and 75 corm. m-2 planting density have a significant impact on vegetative and reproductive characteristics of saffron.

In recent decades, the concept of quality of agricultural products has changed drastically and the quality of raw material is considered as a necessary prerequisite for the quality of the final processed product. With an aim of quality classification of saffron production centers in the provinces of Khorasan, the main components of marketability and quality of saffron (Crocin, Picrocrocin and Safranal) are determined using ultraviolet-visible light spectrum analysis and the ISO / TS 36322 standard. Product sampling was done from 14 centers of saffron production in Khorasan provinces including Safiabad, Qaen, Kashmar, Torbat Heydarieh, Khalil Abad, Bardaskan, Shahn Abad, Chakhmaq, Torbat-Jam, Faizabad, Sabzevar, Sarayan, Eshq Abad and Birjand. Harvest, stigma separation and drying was performed equally in all samples. Comparison of results to national and ISO standard showed that the Safranal content in all of the studied areas were lower than both Iran’ s national standard and ISO standards. For Picrocrocin, the results for most of the studied centers were better than ISO standard. However, the results obtained from region numbers 2, 10, 11 and 12 did not reach the national standard of Iran and the products of region numbers 5, 8 and 9 were close to the lowest value in the standard. Region 12 had the lowest Crocin content which was lower than both ISO and national standards. All of the regions 2, 5, 10 and 14 had low Crocin content and did not reach the minimum quality of Iran’ s national standard for Crocin content.

In order to examine the allopathic effects of saffron organs on the growth and germination of two species of Hordeum murinum L. and Descurainia sophia L. weeds, an experiment was done in the school of agriculture of the University of Torbat Haydarieh, Iran. The experiment was done as factorial in a completely randomized design with four replications with different levels of organs (leaf, corm and a combination of leaf and corm) and extract concentration (zero, 1, 2. 5, 5, 10 and 20 percent). The results indicated that saffron extract has negative effects on growth and germination parameters such as the length and weight of the root, stem and seedlings, the speed of germination, the percentage of germination, the seed vigor index and the number of normal seeds in both species of weeds. The highest germination rate was shown by Hordeum murinum (10. 48) that was obtained in the 2. 5 percent application in the leaf and corm extractions. In addition, in this weed the highest seed vigor index (21. 75) was seen in the application of 2. 5 percent of leaf extraction and the lowest seed vigor index was obtained (10. 75) in the 20 percent application of leaf and corm extractions. In the D. sophia L. weed the highest seed vigor index was 21 and the number of normal seeds was 15. 75, respectively, in the one percent concentration of leaf and corm and the 2. 5 percent concentration in the corm extraction and its lowest value was seen in the 20 percent of leaf and corm extraction. The application of leaf and corm combination extraction in comparison with leaf and root separately, significantly lead to a reduction of the germination traits. On the whole, its seems that using the saffron extracts in the concentrations of 10 and 20 percent significantly affect the growth and development of Hordeum murinum and Descurainia sophia weeds negatively in the germination stage.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of Hydroethanolic saffron petals’ extract (HSPE) on the performance, carcass characteristics and blood biochemical parameters of Japanese quails challenged with Aflatoxin B1. A total of 168 day-old quails were arranged into 28 experimental units with 7 treatments in a completely randomized design. The treatments included control, 3, 6 ppm aflatoxin B1, 3ppm aflatoxin +350 ppm HSPE, 3ppm aflatoxin +700 ppm HSPE, 6ppm aflatoxin +350 ppm HSPE and 6ppm aflatoxin +700 ppm HSPE. Each treatment included 4 replicates with 6 birds. Two quails from each pen were selected, slaughtered and carcass parts were weighed and their relative weights were calculated. The data were analyzed by the SAS software. The results revealed that chicks contaminated with aflatoxin had weight loss and reduced feed intake. However, addition of HSPE to their diet improved the feed intake and body weight of the sick birds. The lower FCR were observed in quails contaminated with aflatoxin. However, supplementation of Hydroethanolic saffron petals’ extract to their diet improved the FCR. The relative weight of burs of fabricus and liver had decreased and increased in the contaminated birds, respectively. Aflatoxin B1 affected the relative weight and length of intestine parts. Aflatoxin B1 decreased the concentration of cholesterol and triglyceride and increased liver enzyme activity. Therefore, supplementation of Hydroethanolic saffron petals’ extract to diets may improve the body weight, feed intake and FCR of quail contaminated with aflatoxin B1.

Agriculture is an occupation in which the workers are prone to health problems, particularly musculoskeletal disorders. This job is one of the most strenous and most dangerous work activities with approximately 40% of the engaged population living in the developing countries. Iran is the world's largest producer of saffron (about 94% of the world production). Labour has the highest impact on the production of this crop. In this research, a kind of trolley is introduced in order to reduce the mechanical damages on the body of labors during saffron harvesting, and then the results are compared with traditional harvesting methods. In the experiments, the force and strength percent capability of 20 workers as saffron harvesters is evaluated using the 3DSSPP software. Two methods of saffron harvesting namely the traditional method with two common postures (half sitting and bowing) and harvesting while sitting on the trolley are considered. The different postures for the traditional harvesting methods and harvesting with the trolley were simulated and imported to the software. It was found that the most harm on the farmers occurs in their knees with half sitting. Evaluation of harvesting saffron with trolley showed that it results in the exertion of the least damage to farmers. However, harvesting with trolley exserts the most pressure on the back. However, the pressure is very little compared to half sitting and bowing postures. Hence this simple device is recommended for harvesting saffron.