Agriculture
Hamidreza sharifi; zohreh nabipour; Hamid Reza Tavakkoli Kakhki
Abstract
In order to investigate the effect of compensatory behavior of planting density, corm weight and planting depth on vegetative characteristics and yield of saffron stigma (Crocus. Sativus L.), a factorial split plot experiment with a randomized complete block design with three replications in the research ...
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In order to investigate the effect of compensatory behavior of planting density, corm weight and planting depth on vegetative characteristics and yield of saffron stigma (Crocus. Sativus L.), a factorial split plot experiment with a randomized complete block design with three replications in the research center and Agricultural education and natural resources of Khorasan Razavi (Gonabad Research Station) was conducted in the cropping years 2018-2020. In this study, planting density treatment (in four levels of 60, 90, 120 and 150 corms per square meter) in the main plot and factorial planting depth (in two levels of 15±2 and 25±2 cm from the soil surface) and corm weight (in two Levels 4± 1 and 8 ± 1 gr) were located in the subplot. The results showed that increasing the density from 60 to 150 corms per square meter caused a significant increase in flower number, flower fresh weight and stigma dry weight, number of plants, number of leaves per plant, average length of a leaf and total leaf length per square meter. Accordingly, increasing the weight of coriander from 4 to 8 gr significantly increases flower number, flower fresh weight, stigma dry weight, number of plants, number of leaves per plant, average length of a leaf, total leaf length per square meter and total Leaf length per plant in the first and second years and reduced flower number, flower fresh weight and stigma dry weight in the third year. The results also showed that increasing the planting depth from 15 to 25 cm caused a significant decrease in all studied traits of saffron. The effect of dual and triple interactions on the studied traits was mainly significant. Overall, the results showed that the use of larger mother corms has a relative priority only in the early years and the importance of its effect decreases with increasing farm age. Based on this, it seems that it is possible to have a different strateg and with a combination of less depth and especially more density to compensate for the effect of corm weight and achieved more overall performance.
Agriculture
Surur Khorramdel; F. Moallem Banhangi; S.J. Davarpanah
Abstract
Saffron field from the onset of dormancy to flowering phase is free of vegetation and increased soil temperature and reduced land use efficiency are the clearest problems of sole saffron cultivation. In order to study the effect of intercropping patterns of mallow (Malva sylvetris L.) as a perennial ...
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Saffron field from the onset of dormancy to flowering phase is free of vegetation and increased soil temperature and reduced land use efficiency are the clearest problems of sole saffron cultivation. In order to study the effect of intercropping patterns of mallow (Malva sylvetris L.) as a perennial medicinal plant with saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on replacement corm growth and flower yield affected as possible cooling of corms for climate change and global warming mitigation, an experiment was conducted at Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran during three growing seasons of 2015-2016, 2016-2017 and 2017-2018. Treatments were 15, 30, 45 and 60-cm row spacings for saffron from mallow planting rows and sole saffron and mallow cultivations. Based on results in the third year, the effect of intercropping patterns with mallow was significant on yield indicators of flower and corm of saffron. In comparison between sole cultivation and intercropped saffron revealed that the highest values for flower number, dried stigma yield and yield of replacement corms were recorded for sole saffron cultivation with 81 flowers.m-2, 0.2115 g.m-2 and 26.51 g.m-2, respectively. In comparisons amongst intercropping patterns, the highest values for these criteria were related to 30-cm row spacings from mallow with 46 flowers.m-2, 0.155 g.m-2 and 13.39 g.m-2, respectively. However, corcin, picrocrocin and safranal contents were not significantly affected by intercropping patterns with mallow. Effect of intercropped saffron was significant on fresh weight of flower, dried weight of flower and branches number per plant of mallow. The maximum value for dried flower weight was observed for 60-cm row spacing with 28.89 g.m-2. The range for LER calculated with 1.01-1.77 and the maximum value was for 15-cm row spacing.
Fatemeh Parsapour; Parviz Rezvani Moghaddam; Surur Khorramdel
Abstract
Response surface methodology (RSM) is defined as a set of mathematical and statistical techniques that are used to optimize yield of a product. In order to study the effects of urban waste compost and corm rates on flower yield of saffron using RSM, an experiment was conducted at the Research Field of ...
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Response surface methodology (RSM) is defined as a set of mathematical and statistical techniques that are used to optimize yield of a product. In order to study the effects of urban waste compost and corm rates on flower yield of saffron using RSM, an experiment was conducted at the Research Field of the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran during the growing season of 2017-2018. The treatments were determined based on low and high levels of urban waste compost (0 and 20 t.ha-1, respectively) and corm weight (5 and 15 t.ha-1, respectively). These were computed by using Minitab V. 17. Dry weight of stigma, dry weight of style, fresh weight of flower, flower number, corm number, dry weight of corm, and number of buds per corm were calculated as dependent variables and changes of these variables were evaluated by using a regression model. Lack-of-fit test was used to evaluate the quality of the fitted model. The adequacy of the model was tested by analysis of variance. In general, the full quadratic polynomial equation was tested to determine significance of the model and the components (such as linear, squared and first-order interaction terms). The quality of the fitted model was judged using the determination coefficient (R2). The results show that the effect of linear component on all traits studied except fresh weight of flower, dry weight of corm 0-4g, and number of buds per corm 0-4 and 8-4 grams were significant. The effect of total grade two had a significant effect on the traits of flower number, fresh weight of flower, dry weight of stigma, dry weight of style, number of daughter corms per 0-4, 4-8 and >8 grams, dry weight of corm per 4-8 and >8 grams and number of buds per >8 grams was significant. Also, the interaction effect of two factors of urban waste compost and weight corm on the number of flowers, fresh weight of flower, dry weight of stigma, dry weight of style, number of daughter corms per 4-8 and >8 grams, dry weight of corm 4-8 and >8 grams, and number of buds per corm >8 grams were significant. Lack of fit test had no significant effect on the studied traits. The full square model for the response variables gave insignificant lack-of-fit indicating that the data of experiment were satisfactorily explained. The highest flower number, fresh weight of flower, stigma dry weight and style dry weight were observed for 5 t.ha-1 corm+ 20 t.ha-1 compost. Optimum of corm weight and urban waste compost and desirability for the traits related to flower and corm with 5 t.ha-1, 20 t.ha-1and d = 0.92 were urban waste compost with 12 t.ha-1, 20 t.ha-1and d = 0.95, respectively. Based on the results, municipal waste compost and corm weight had a positive effect on most of the studied traits.
Agriculture
Mohmmad Hosein Aminifard; Ali Oftadeh Fadafen; Farid Moradi Nezhad; Mohammad Ali Behdani
Abstract
The effects of applications of vermicompost and nitroxin on corm characteristics and flower yield of saffron were evaluated under field conditions in the research farm of Birjand University, Iran, during the cropping year 2015-2016. Treatments were of four levels of vermicompost (0, 5, 10 and 15 t.ha-1) ...
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The effects of applications of vermicompost and nitroxin on corm characteristics and flower yield of saffron were evaluated under field conditions in the research farm of Birjand University, Iran, during the cropping year 2015-2016. Treatments were of four levels of vermicompost (0, 5, 10 and 15 t.ha-1) and three levels of nitroxin (0, 5 and 10 L.ha-1). This experiment was carried out as factorial based on randomized completely block design with three replications. The results showed that vermicompost improved the corm vegetative indices (total weight of corm, average fresh and dry weight of cormel and diameter of cormel). The highest total weight of corm was obtained in plants treated with 15 t.ha-1 vermicompost. Also results showed that vermicompost improved the saffron flower characteristics (flower number and fresh total yield, flower length, stigma fresh and dry yield) in second year of study. The highest stigma fresh (1.63 g.m-2) and dry (0.41 g.m-2) yield were obtained in plants treated with 10 t.ha-1 vermicompost, while the lowest values (0.77 and 0.21 g.m-2) were recorded in the control. Application of different levels of nitroxin has a positive effect on flower number and fresh total yield, stigma dry yield in the second year of the experiment. The highest stigma dry yield was observed in 10 L.ha-1 nitroxin (0.36 g.m-2), while the lowest value was recorded in control (0.24 g.m-2). Application of different levels of vermicompost and nitroxin had a positive effect on the total weight of corm, average flower length and stigma fresh yield. Thus, the results showed that 5 L.ha-1 nitroxin and 10 t.ha-1 vermicompost had a significant impact on replacement corm characteristics and flower yield of saffron.
Agriculture
Hamid-reza Fallahi; Sohrab Mahmoodi
Abstract
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 ...
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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.
Agriculture
Mohammad Emami; Mohammad Armin; Matin Jami Moeini
Abstract
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 ...
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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.
Agriculture
Roshanak Shahriary; Parviz Rezvani Moghaddam; Mohsen Jahan; Reza Khorasani
Abstract
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 ...
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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 µmol). 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.
Agriculture
Faride Ahmadi; Mohammad Hossein Aminifard; Mehdi Khayyat; Ali Reza Samadzade
Abstract
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 ...
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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.
Agriculture
Ghorban Ali Asadi; soror Khorramdel; Reza Ghorbani; Bahareh Bicharanlou
Abstract
In order to evaluate the effects of organic, chemical and biological fertilizers and summer irrigation on growth characteristics, corm yield, flower yield and stigma yield of saffron, field experiment was conducted as factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at Agricultural ...
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In order to evaluate the effects of organic, chemical and biological fertilizers and summer irrigation on growth characteristics, corm yield, flower yield and stigma yield of saffron, field experiment was conducted as factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at Agricultural Research station, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during three growing season of 2013-2014, 2014-2015 and 2015-2016. The first factor included of animal cow manure (a1), chemical fertilizer (such as Nitrogen, P and K) (a2), Thiobacillus (a3), sulfur (a4), a3+a4 and control (a5) and the second factor was summer irrigation in three levels such as conventional irrigation (A: without summer irrigation), A+ once summer irrigation (23 July), A+ twice summer irrigation (22 June+23 July). Studied characteristics were number and fresh weight of flower, dry weight of stigma, corm diameter, corm weight in four groups (16 g), corms with contractile roots, number of flowering buds per corm, leaf length, dry weight of leaf and dry weight of tunic of saffron. The results in the third of experiment revealed that the interaction effect between fertilizers and summer irrigation were significant (P≤0.01) on all studied traits of saffron except stigma dry weight, corms with weight more than 16 g and dry weight of daughter corms. The highest flower number (282.7 per m2), flower fresh weight (103.2 g/m2), stigma dry weight (1.73 g/m2), leaf dry weight (13.33 g/m2), buds dry weight (4.61 g/m2), flowering buds number per corm (2.627), corm percentage with cractile roots (58.41%), corm diameter (2.97 cm) and corms in different weight were obtained in animal manure and A+once summer irrigation. About simple effects, the highest stigma dry weight and dry weight of daughter corms were observed in animal manure and the highest amount of this traits were obtained in treatment A+once summer irrigation. It seems that summer irrigation increased the flower and stigma yield of saffron due to decreasing soil temperature.
Agriculture
ramin Esmi; Parviz Rezvani Moghaddam; Alireza Koocheki; ahmad ahmadian
Abstract
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) on flower characteristics and daughter corms of saffron, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with ...
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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) 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 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 cow manure with bigger corm size ( 10.1-13 g) and 60 t/ha cow manure with smaller corm size (4.1-7 g) treatments, respectively. 60 t/ha cow manure with bigger corm size (10.1-13 g) and 60 t/ha 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 cow manure with bigger corm size ( 10.1-13 g) and 30 (control) t/ha cow manure with smaller corm size (4.1-7 g) treatments, respectively. In addition, the mean comparison of interaction effect in the second year showed that there were significant differences between most of treatments. The interaction effects of studied traits in the second year showed that 90 t/ha cow manure with bigger corm size (10.1-13 g) and 30 (control) t/ha 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) and the use of more than 7 grams 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.
Agriculture
Saeideh Alizadeh-Salteh
Abstract
In order to evaluate and access the best conditions to cultivate saffron in Tabriz, an experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station of the University of Tabriz (Khalatpooshan), in a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design and three replications. The treatments ...
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In order to evaluate and access the best conditions to cultivate saffron in Tabriz, an experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station of the University of Tabriz (Khalatpooshan), in a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design and three replications. The treatments included two ecotypes of saffron in 4 levels of mother corm weight (3.1- 5, 5.1- 7, 7.1- 9 and more than 9 g) and two planting methods (row and mass). The results showed that corm weight and planting method had significant effects on the number and weight of replacement corms. But there was no significant effect on the different ecotypes. Among the experimental treatments, corms with 7.1- 9 g weight lead to the highest total corm number (342.65 corm.m-2) and corm yield (892.9 g.m-2) and the yield of flowers and stigma of saffron. It seems that for production of larger replacement corms and increased flowering yield, we need to culture large maternal corms. In addition, we observed the best economical yield that is determined by amount of stigma, in row planting method. The results showed that row planting method leads to a higher amount and yield of replacement corm production in comparison to mass planting method. As a result, producing corms with high weight followed by increasing of flower yield requires the use of large maternal corms for cultivation and row planting method.
Agriculture
Seid Mohammad Alavi Siney; Jalal Saba; Babak Andalibi; Seyyed Siamak Alavikia; Mohammad Reza Azimi
Abstract
In order to investigate the effective traits on yield of saffron ecotypes, a study was carried out as a split plot in time based on randomized complete block design with three replications in the research farm of Zanjan University during the growing seasons of 2013-2015. Eighteen saffron ecotypes were ...
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In order to investigate the effective traits on yield of saffron ecotypes, a study was carried out as a split plot in time based on randomized complete block design with three replications in the research farm of Zanjan University during the growing seasons of 2013-2015. Eighteen saffron ecotypes were studied in this experiment. The traits of number of flowers, fresh weight of flowers, fresh weight of stigma, dry weight of flowers, dry weight of stigma, stigma length and dry stigma yield of saffron were measured. The results indicated that there were significant differences among all studied traits of ecotypes except for stigma length. The correlation matrix revealed that the number of flower and dry weight of stigma had a positive and highly significant correlation with dry stigma yield (r= 0.99 and 0.70, respectively). Analysis of stepwise regression and path analysis showed that the traits of number of flowers, dry weight of stigma and dry weight of flowers were the most effective traits on dry stigma yield. Therefore, these traits can be used to achieve a higher stigma yield.
Agriculture
Amin Ensaf; Bahman Zahedi; Ali Asghar Aliloo
Abstract
In order to evaluate the adaptability of saffron ecotypes under Maragheh climatic conditions, an experiment was conducted based on a Randomized Complete Block design (RCBD) with three replications during the growing seasons of 2013 and 2014. The ecotypes used were Bardaskan, Abrud, Sabzevar, Bonab1, ...
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In order to evaluate the adaptability of saffron ecotypes under Maragheh climatic conditions, an experiment was conducted based on a Randomized Complete Block design (RCBD) with three replications during the growing seasons of 2013 and 2014. The ecotypes used were Bardaskan, Abrud, Sabzevar, Bonab1, Torbat-e-Heydarieh, Bonab2, Marand1, Marand2, Kashmar, Taybad, Esfiukh and Mahvelat. The following traits were evaluated: fresh weight of stigma, dry weight of stigma, length of stigma, emergence percentage, emergence rate, flowering percentage, flowering rate, dry and fresh weight of flowers and dry yield of stigma in the area. The results showed that the ecotypes established very well in the first year of the experiment, but frosty days of the winter severely damaged Abrud, Taybad and Esfiukh ecotypes. There were significant differences among the ecotypes for the traits: the number of flowers, emergence, flowering percent and fresh weight of saffron. Also, a significant difference was recorded among the studied ecotypes for flowering and emergence rate. The highest emergence percentage was observed in Marand 2, while Sabzevar had the highest rate of flowering and flowering percentage. Despite the low yields for Marand1 and Sabzevar in the first year of the experiment, these ecotypes with 1.5 and 1.4 kg per hectare produced the high stigma yields, respectively in the second year. In conclusion, the results showed that the ecotypes of Marand are suitable for cultivate in the Maragheh climate conditions and the use of exotic corms is not recommended. Adaptability, Corm, Flowering percentage, Stigma yield
Agriculture
fatemeh Hassanzadeh Aval; Parviz Rezvani moghaddam; Mohammad Bannayan aval; Reza Khorasani
Abstract
In order to investigate the effects of different maternal corm weight and different levels of cow manure on saffron (Crocus sativus L.) production, an experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during 2011- 2012 and 2012- 2013 growing seasons. For this ...
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In order to investigate the effects of different maternal corm weight and different levels of cow manure on saffron (Crocus sativus L.) production, an experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during 2011- 2012 and 2012- 2013 growing seasons. For this purpose a factorial experiment was used based on complete randomized block design with three replications and 16 treatments. The experimental treatments were done at 4 levels of maternal corm weight (1.1- 3, 3.1- 5, 5.1- 7 and 7.1- 9 g) and 4 levels of cow manure (0, 20, 40 and 60 t.ha-1). Variance analysis results for studied characteristics of saffron corm showed that maternal corm weight, cow manure and maternal corm weight × cow manure had significant effects on these characteristics. Among the experimental treatments, maternal corm with 7.1- 9 g weight and the use rate of 60 t.ha-1 of cow manure treatment had both the highest total corm number (510 corm.m-2) and corm yield (1044 g.m-2). It seems that the corms with higher weight in the first year produce larger number of replacement corm than the corms with lower weight. The saffron flower yield characteristics showed that flower yield in the first year increased by increasing the maternal corm weight. The results of variance analysis of the number of flowers and fresh and dry yield of flower and stigma of saffron in the second year showed that the maternal corm weight, cow manure and maternal corm weight × cow manure had significant effects on them. These characteristics increased by increasing the maternal corm weight and levels of cow manure. It seems that producing replacement corm with high weight in the first year, requires large amount of maternal corm and high levels of cow manure usage.
