In addition to the stigma, other parts of saffron (Crocus sativus L. ) flower including petals, as by-products of the saffron production process, contain bioactive and antioxidant compounds that are usually left unused. This experiment was conducted at the research field of Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Iran, to increase the productivity of this crop as well as investigate the variation in corm origin in terms of flower yield and bioactive compounds of saffron petals. In this regard, different corms from nine different regions of Iran (Bajestan, Estahban, Ferdows, Gonabad, Natanz, Qaen, Sarayan, Torbate-Heydarieh and Zarand) were evaluated during the three growing seasons of 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18. Based on the results, phenolic compounds ranged from 2. 83 to 5. 24 mg gallic acid/g dry weight and flavonoid compounds ranged from 0. 38 to 1. 81 mg quercetin/g dry weight in petals. The results also demonstrated that flower-related traits, bioactive compounds and radical scavenging activity were significantly affected by the growing season, corm origin and their interaction. In all the traits studied (except reducing power ability), corms of different origins showed different responses to the growing season. The highest yield was obtained from the corms of Ferdows in the first and third growing seasons and Bajestan in the second growing season. The corms of Bajestan and Gonabad (the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents) and Estahban (the least phenolic and flavonoid contents) showed, respectively, the highest (216 and 217 mg/L, respectively) and lowest antiradical activity in 2016-17 growing season. The corms of Ferdows, Sarayan, Bajestan, and Gonabad origin based on high yield and bioactive compounds content, Qaen and Estahban due to low bioactive compounds content and antioxidant activity, and Natanz, Torbate-Heydarieh and Zarand with the lowest flower production were grouped into three main clusters according to cluster and principal component analyses.

In order to investigate the effects of mother corm weight (including 4. 1-7, 7. 1-10 and 10. 1-13 g) and different levels of cow manure (including 30 (control), 60 and 90 t. ha-1) on flower characteristics and daughter corms of saffron, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted during two cropping years (2012-13, 2013-14) in the Zaweh county. The results of variance analysis in the first and second years showed that there were significant differences between the simple effects and the interaction effects in terms of most of the studied traits, and these differences were higher in the second year. The highest (56. 8 m-2) and the lowest (41. 3 m-2) flower numbers were obtained in 90 t. ha-1 cow manure with bigger corm size ( 10. 1-13 g) and 60 t. ha-1 cow manure with smaller corm size (4. 1-7 g) treatments, respectively. 60 t. ha-1 cow manure with bigger corm size (10. 1-13 g) and 60 t. ha-1 cow manure with smaller corm size (4. 1-7 g) treatments produced the highest (0. 347 g. m-2) and the lowest (0. 220 g. m-2) dry weight of stigma, respectively. The highest and the lowest of total number of daughter corms (504. 2 and 264. 7 m-2), total daughter corm yield (2677. 3 and 1582. 9 g. m-2) were shown in 90 t. ha-1 cow manure with bigger corm size ( 10. 1-13 g) and 30 (control) t. ha-1 cow manure with smaller corm size (4. 1-7 g) treatments, respectively. In addition, the mean comparison of interaction effects in the second year showed that there were significant differences between most of the treatments. The interaction effects of the studied traits in the second year showed that 90 t. ha-1cow manure with bigger corm size (10. 1-13 g) and 30 (control) t. ha-1 cow manure with smaller corm size (4. 1-7 g) treatments produced the highest and the lowest flower number (231. 0 and 156. 5 m-2), stigma dry weight (2. 062 and 1. 053 g. m-2), total number of daughter corms (1024. 5 and 505. 5 m-2) and total daughter corms yield (4486. 6 and 2133. 1 g. m-2), respectively. Finally, it can be concluded that by increasing the use of cow manure (more than 60 t. ha-1) and the use of more than 7 grams of mother corms, it is possible to improve the number and yield of daughter corms and these traits will increase the saffron stigma yield in the next coming years.

Development of saffron corm resources with higher ability to acquire nutrients and produce more dry matter may offer one solution to mitigate the yield loss problem in growing areas. In the present study, variability in growth, nutrition, and biomass production among saffron ecotypes grown for a two-year field experiment was investigated at Kerman, a semi-arid region of Iran, during the 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 growing seasons. The results indicated that the studied ecotypes significantly differed in the mentioned parameters and responded differently to growing seasons. High-agronomic performance (yield) and nutrient-efficient ecotypes, e.g. Ferdows, Sarayan, and Bajestan, accumulated more nutrients as a result of increased Relative Growth Rate (RGR) and Net Assimilation Rate (NAR) before the critical stage, resulting in higher dry matter production. In contrast, ecotypes with lower potential to acquire nutrients, e.g. Zarand and Torbat, had lower growth and dry matter. Further, the results showed that variation in nitrogen (N) concentration in corms and leaves was not significant, although significant variation existed in N uptake, N uptake efficiency, and N use efficiency. This can be due to variation observed in the ability of corms to utilize nutrients for dry matter production. Cluster analysis revealed the presence of highly efficient, moderately efficient, and inefficient ecotypes. Generally, the results indicated that ecotypes with higher growth rate before critical stage showed more potential to uptake and utilize nutrients to produce more dry matter, and exhibited more nutrients use efficiencies. Overall, this study suggested that the nutrient acquisition capacity of ecotypes, a desired feature associated with higher biomass production, can be an important factor in selection programs.

In order to study the effects of different weights of mother corm and sowing depth on flower and corm yield of saffron (Crocus sativus L. ), an experiment was conducted as a factorial layout based on complete randomized block design with three replications at the Agricultural Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran during 2015-2016 growing seasons. The experimental treatments were all combination of four mother corm weights (4-6, 6. 1-8, 8. 1-10 and 10. 1-12 g) and three planting depths (10, 15 and 20 cm). In the first year, criteria such as flower and corms yield were evaluated, and in the second year only flower yield were recorded. The result revealed that in both years the interaction between corm weight and planting depths was significant on most traits of the studied flower. Flower, stigma and style yield significantly increased by increasing corm weight and planting depth. The maximum dry stigma yield was obtained in 10. 1-12 g corm weight and 20 cm planting depth which was 0. 1095 and 0. 5393 g. m-2 in the first and the second year, respectively. The interaction between treatments was not significant on daughter corm but the individual effects of each treatment was significant. The higher corm yield (1181. 6 g. m-2) was related to 10. 1-12 g corm weight treatment. Deeper planting (20 cm) produced the high corm yield (938. 86 g. m-2). Eventually, the high excellence of yield in corm weight and planting depth treatments of higher, we recommend corms with higher weight and deeper sowing depth for cultivating saffron.

Taro (ColocasiaesculentaL. Schott) is a perennial root crop that belongs to Araceace family. It is widely cultivated as a staple food in Africa, Asia and pacific Islands. Despite its importance, there is limited information on many aspects of the crop. In order to obtain data that can support improved and sustainable taro production, a field trial was conducted to study the effects of corm size and plant population density on the growth and corm yield of taro (variety Boloso-1) was investigated during 2007cropping season. The experiment consisted of five-corm size (50, 51-100, 101-150, 151-200 and 201-250g) and five levels of planting densities (15037, 29629, 45454, 60606 and 74074 plants/ha) arranged in a factorial randomized complete block design with three replications. The results indicated that corm size had a highly significant (p<0.001) influence on plant height, leaf number, shoot number , leaf area index, corm and cormels number/plant, corm and cormels yield/ha of taro. All the parameters were increased with increased in corm size. Plant population density exertsignificant influence (p<0.001) on all the studied parameter except on plant height and number of leaf/plant.The interaction effect of corm size and population density was none significant on all the studied parameters. The highest average corm yield/ha (44.07 t/ha) was achieved at a population of 60,606 plants/ hausing seed corms having 51-100g. These could be recommended for farmers in production area similar with the study site.

The present research was accomplished in order to investigate the effects of different fertilizers and corm size on corm characteristics of saffron, in Mahvelate, during 2012. The experiment was conducted as a split plot factorial design with four replications. Treatments were comprised of manure and chemical fertilizers (in three levels of 100%, 50% and control) considered as main plot, and combination of biological fertilizer (in three levels of nitroxin, bio-superphosphate and control) and mother corm weight (in three levels of 4-6, 8-10 and 12-14 g) as sub plot. Result showed that application of manure and chemical fertilizers increased number and weight of daughter corm significantly, but had no significant effect on corm diameter. Use of biological fertilizers caused weight of corm to be increased by 3.7%, whereas didn’t change the number of corm and corm diameter. The highest number, diameter and weight of daughter corm was also recorded btained with use of the largest mother corm. Since big corms producted more yield in next years, it is suggested that use of big corms in saffron production. Also use of biological fertilizers caused improvement characteristics of dauther corm and reduction use of manure and chemical fertilizers.

An experiment has been conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of polyamines on vegetativeand biochemical traits of Crocus sativus L. It has been in the form of a factorial in a completelyrandomizedblocks with three replications during 2015-2016 and has taken place in field research ofTarbiat Modares University. There has been three sizes of corms (i. e., 3-5, 5-7, and 7-10 g) as well as fiveconcentrations of polyamines (zero in control, zero in distilled water, spermidine 0. 5 and 1 mM, andputrescine 0. 5 and 1 mM) as the treatments. Results show that the plants, treated with putrescine 0. 5and spermidine 1 mM, have had the highest germination percentage (96. 56%) as well as the highestnumber of lateral sprouts (with an average of 8. 33 sprouts), respectively. It has also been revealed that thelength and weight of the leaves are negatively affected by polyamine treatment. The highest chlorophyllcontent and corm yield are observed in the plants, treated with Putrescine 0. 5 mM and 1 mM, respectively. The content of starch and soluble carbohydrates in dormant corms at the end of growingseason have not been affected by polyamines significantly; however, total phenolic and flavonoid contentin these corms have decreased and increased, respectively, as a result of applying polyamines. With nosignificant effect on stigma dry weight and picrocrocin content, polyamine treatment has increased thenumber of flowers and crocin content in small corms. It can be concluded that in order to obtain bettervegetative and biochemical traits of saffron, corms more than 7 g and treated with putrescine, should beused.

Objective: Taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott) is a perennial root crop that belongs to Araceace family. It is widely cultivated as a staple food in Africa, Asia and pacific Islands. Despite its importance, there is limited information on many aspects of the crop. In order to obtain data that can support improved and sustainable taro production, a field trial was conducted to study the effects of corm size and plant population density on the growth and corm yield of taro (variety Boloso-1) was investigated during 2007 cropping season.Methods: The experiment consisted of five-corm size (50, 51-100, 101-150, 151-200 and 201-250 g) and five levels of planting densities (15037, 29629, 45454, 60606 and 74074 plants/ha) arranged in a factorial randomized complete block design with three replications.Results: The results indicated that corm size had a highly significant (p<0.001) influence on plant height, leaf number, shoot number, leaf area index, corm and cormels number/plant, corm and cormels yield/ ha of taro. All the parameters were increased with increased in corm size. Plant population density exert significant influence (p<0.001) on all the studied parameter except on plant height and number of leaf/plant. The interaction effect of corm size and population density was none significant on all the studied parameters. The highest average corm yield/ha (44.07 t/ha) was achieved at a population of 60, 606 plants/ ha using seed corms having 51-100 g. These could be recommended for farmers in production area similar with the study site.