Other subject about saffron
Alireza Koocheki; Alireza Karbasi; Mohammad Seyyedi
Abstract
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a perennial plant which grows basically in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran. Despite saffron’s adaptation to these regions, the assessment of changes in cultivation area over the last 30 years reveals that cultivation of this crop has sharply increased. According ...
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Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a perennial plant which grows basically in arid and semi-arid regions of Iran. Despite saffron’s adaptation to these regions, the assessment of changes in cultivation area over the last 30 years reveals that cultivation of this crop has sharply increased. According to the available statistics, there are 21 provinces where saffron is cultivated on about 84,000 hectares of land. Nonetheless, saffron yield per unit area has aggressively fallen from 5.1 kg ha-1 in 1982 to 3.2 kg ha-1 in 2015. Saffron yield loss can be caused by several factors, such as mismanagement in agriculture section, economics and post-harvest processing as well as the recent droughts. Lack of attention to these factors could lead to further decline in saffron yield in the future. The saffron yield loss over the last 30 years is an alert for saffron-related institutions such as the universities, research centers and Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO) to pay more attention to this crop and prepare more comprehensive programs. In developing these programs, the importance of government policies for planning and approving enough budget is to be highlighted. In this review, first we focus on the reasons for saffron yield loss during the last 30 years and then we try to provide some solutions in relation to these reasons.
Agriculture
Alireza Koocheki; Seyyed Mohammad Seyyedi
Abstract
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is an annual plant from a biological aspect, but it has a perennial cycle in the field conditions. Cytological impairments such as triploid and self-incompatibility mechanisms are considered as the most important reasons for male-sterility in saffron. Therefore, saffron reproduction ...
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Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is an annual plant from a biological aspect, but it has a perennial cycle in the field conditions. Cytological impairments such as triploid and self-incompatibility mechanisms are considered as the most important reasons for male-sterility in saffron. Therefore, saffron reproduction is made by meristems tissues and establishment of new daughter corms which are produced by the mother corms. During the growing season, mother corms deteriorate gradually with increasing daughter corms growth. Each daughter corm is considered as a mother corm for replanting in the next growing season. Duo to the life cycle of saffron as a perennial plant in the field conditions, the gradual deterioration of mother corms during the growing season and also the remobilization of nitrogen and phosphorus from aerial part to daughter corms at the end of each growing season, the study of acquisition and use efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus in saffron is more complicated than other annual or biannual plants. Firstly, the objective of this review article is to describe the nitrogen and phosphorus concentration in aerial parts and daughter corms in saffron. In addition, relevant literature related to the most important strategies for improving nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency is reviewed. Secondly, the relationship between nitrogen and phosphorus use efficiency in saffron is discussed.
Agriculture
Alireza Koocheki; Mehdi Jamshid Eyni; Seyyed Mohammad Seyyedi
Abstract
Mother corm size and nutrient management are the most important factors in relation to nitrogen uptake of saffron (Crocus sativus L.). In order to investigate the effects of mother corms size and type of fertilizer on uptake and use efficiency of nitrogen in Saffron, a field experiment was conducted ...
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Mother corm size and nutrient management are the most important factors in relation to nitrogen uptake of saffron (Crocus sativus L.). In order to investigate the effects of mother corms size and type of fertilizer on uptake and use efficiency of nitrogen in Saffron, a field experiment was conducted as factorial layout based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, during the years 2013 and 2014. The mother corm size (4 g and lower (small), 4.1–8 g (medium), 8.1-12 g (relatively large) and over 12 g (large)) and fertilizer sources (cow manure 25 t ha-1, chemical fertilizer (N+P) and control) were the first and second experimental factors, respectively. In both years, the larger mother corms (8.1-12 g and more) significantly resulted in greater nitrogen content (g m-2) of replacement corms and whole plant of saffron. In addition, uptake and use efficiency of nitrogen were significantly increased with increasing mother corms size. In the first and the second years, nitrogen use efficiency in manure treatment was significantly higher than that of chemical fertilizer (by 21 and 61%, respectively).
Agriculture
Hassan Feizi; Seyyed Mohammad Seyyedi; Hossein Sahabi
Abstract
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) propagates by replacement corms producing from the mother corm after flowering during each season. In order to investigate the effect of corm planting density, organic and chemical fertilizers on formation and phosphorus uptake of saffron replacement corms during phonological ...
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Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) propagates by replacement corms producing from the mother corm after flowering during each season. In order to investigate the effect of corm planting density, organic and chemical fertilizers on formation and phosphorus uptake of saffron replacement corms during phonological stages, a field experiment was conducted as factorial layout based on randomized complete block design with three replications, at Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, during 2013 and 2014 growing seasons. The experimental treatments were all combination of different levels of planting density (25, 50, 75 and 100 corms per m2) and fertilizer sources (manure 25 t. ha-1, chemical fertilizer (N 150 kg ha-1 + P 75 kg ha-1) and control). Due to different sampling dates of replacement corms during phonological stages (21 November, 21 December, 20 January, 20 April and 21 May, respectively), the experimental data were analyzed as factorial - split in time based on a randomized complete block design. Based on results, the highest number of replacement corms lower than 4 g (5.8 corms per plant) were observed in fifth sampling stage and then decreased. In all levels of planting density (25 to 100 corms per m2), the effects of manure on increasing the number, weight and phosphorus content of replacement corms in range of 4.1 to 8 and 8.1 to 12 g per plant were significantly higher than chemical fertilizer. In fifth sampling stage, by applying the manure, the weight and phosphorus content of replacement corms in range of 8.1 to 12 g per plant were significantly increased (approximately twice), as compared to chemical fertilizer. It seems the decrease in saffron yield as result to decreasing the corm planting density can be slightly offset by increasing the percentage of larger corms formation per plant.
Agriculture
Alireza Koocheki; S. Mohammad Seyyedi; Homa Azizi; Roshanak Shahriyari
Abstract
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 ...
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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.
Agriculture
Parviz Rezvani Moghaddam; Alireza Koocheki; Abdollah Molafilabi; S. Mohammad Seyyedi
Abstract
In order to investigate the effects of different levels of applied wheat straw as mulch in different dates on flower characteristics and corms behavior of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) in the second year, a field experiment was conducted as factorial layout based on a randomized complete block design with ...
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In order to investigate the effects of different levels of applied wheat straw as mulch in different dates on flower characteristics and corms behavior of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) in the second year, a field experiment was conducted as factorial layout based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran in years of 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. The experimental treatments were all combination of different levels of wheat straw as mulch (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 t. ha-1) based on surface applied method in three different dates (June, August and October). The results showed that the applied wheat straw as mulch in different dates had significant effects on flower characteristics of saffron (flower number, fresh and dried flower and stigma+ style yields). Based on these results, applied wheat straw as mulch in October had highest effects on increasing flower number, fresh and dried flower yields (by 46, 61 and 65%, respectively). In addition, applied wheat straw as mulch had significant effects on number and yield of replacement corms. The applied straw as mulch in October increased yield of replacement corms with 12 g or higher weight and total corm yield of saffron by 104 and 103 %, respectively, as compared to control treatment.
