Agriculture
hossein sahabi; Mohsen jahan; alireza kochaki; Mehdi Nassiri Mahallati
Abstract
In general, corm weight and nutrient management are considered as the most important factors in relation to quantitative and qualitative traits of saffron. In order to investigate the effects of mother corm origin, mother corm weight and nutrient foliar application on yield and qualitative traits of ...
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In general, corm weight and nutrient management are considered as the most important factors in relation to quantitative and qualitative traits of saffron. In order to investigate the effects of mother corm origin, mother corm weight and nutrient foliar application on yield and qualitative traits of saffron, a field experiment was conducted as factorial layout based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, during the years from 2012 to 2015. The mother corm origin (Iranian and Spanish corms), mother corm weight 8 g and lower (small), 8.1–15 g (medium) and 15.1-23 g (large) and nutrient foliar application (application and control) were considered as the first, second and third experimental factors, respectively. According to the results, the larger mother corms significantly resulted in a greater number of flowers per m2, increased fresh flower and dry stigma + style yields. However, the effect of nutrient foliar application was observed to be not significant on these traits. When Iranian mother corms were planted, the number of flowers per m2, fresh flower and dry stigma + style yields were higher, compared with Spanish mother corms. For instance, flower number, fresh flower and dry stigma + style yields increased by 17, 13 and 14%, respectively, when planting Iranian mother corms. Nonetheless, picrocrocin concentration was higher (up to 3.8%) in the Spanish planted corm treatment. Based on the results, beside the optimal nutrient foliar application, the importance of adapting the corms origin with environmental conditions of the site designated for planting is emphasized.
Agriculture
Abdollah Mollafilabi; Alireza Koocheki; Parviz Rezvani Moghaddam; Mahdi Nassiri Mahallati2
Abstract
Saffron is the most precious spice crop in the world which nowadays has nutritional, medical and industrial importance. Its average yield is 4.83 kg/ha in Iran. The research was conducted to investigate the effect of corm weight and its density on yield and yield components of saffron under soil, hydroponic ...
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Saffron is the most precious spice crop in the world which nowadays has nutritional, medical and industrial importance. Its average yield is 4.83 kg/ha in Iran. The research was conducted to investigate the effect of corm weight and its density on yield and yield components of saffron under soil, hydroponic and plastic tunnel conditions. The effect of three different weights of corm (6-8, 8-10 and more than 10 g) and also three different densities of corm (50, 100 and 150 corms per m²) was investigated in factorial experiment based on CRD with three replications. The traits which were investigated included: number of flower, fresh weight of flower, fresh and dry weight of stigma and style, and economic yield. The results showed that the main effects of bed types. Weight and corm density were significant in all traits. Interactions of bed type and corm weight were significant at 5% except for flower dry weight, and dry weight of stigma + style that were not significant .As well, Interactions of bed type and corm density, corm weight and density and all interactions of bed type ,corm weight and density were not significant in all traits. The heavier corms (more than 10 g) provided the highest yield. By decreasing corm weight, all traits were reduced significantly. Also the results showed that least yield(stigma dry weight) obtained from hydroponic cultivation with 50/ m² yielded 4.14 kg/ha and increase in yield (dry weight of stigma) was obtained under soil cultivation and in the density of 150 corms/m² economical yield was equivalent to 7.36 kg/ha in the first year.
