Saffron Agronomy and Technology

In collaboration Iranian Medicinal Plants Society

Current Issue

By Issue

By Author

By Subject

Author Index

Keyword Index

About Journal

Aims and Scope

Editorial Board

Publication Ethics

Indexing and Abstracting

Related Links

FAQ

Peer Review Process

Journal Metrics

News

Journal Forms

Guide for Authors

The Study of Saffron (Crocus Sativus L.) Replacement Corms Growth in Response to Planting Date, Irrigation Management and Companion Crops

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Professor of Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad,

2 Assistant Professor, Saffron Research Group, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran.

3 Ph.D Student in Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

Selection of suitable mother corms is an important factor for achieving optimum yield in saffron. In order to investigate the effect of some agronomic factors on the growth of replacement corms of saffron, an experiment was done at the Faculty of Agriculture, the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran during 2009-2011. The experimental treatments  consisted of planting on the following dates (22 May, 22 July and 22 September, 2009), irrigation management (Irrigation and no irrigation after each planting date and repeating them in the second year in late spring, summer and early autumn  irrigations) and companion crops [Persian clover (Trifolium resupinatum), Bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia) (Lathyrus sativus) and control), that were arranged in a split-split plot experiment based on a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Sampling of replacement corms was done after the second growth cycle of saffron in May, 2011. The results showed that with delay in corm planting from May to September, the number of replacement corms and percentage of corms with contractile root increased by 25 and 33%, respectively. However, the amounts of total weight of replacement corms per clone, mean number of flowering buds per corm, mean number of total buds per corm, mean weight and mean diameter of replacement corms planted in July were 21, 70, 40, 32 and 37% higher than those planted in September, respectively. Irrigation increased the amount of contractile roots and number of replacement corms per clone (12%), but decreased the amount of mean number of flowering buds (19%), mean number of total buds (11%) and mean weight (19%) and diameter (8%) of replacement corms. Moreover, application of companion crops had a partially positive impact on the indices of growth of replacement corms of saffron such as follows: the total weight of replacement of corms per clone (8%), corms to scales weight ratio (14%), number of flowering buds (10%) and mean weight of replacement corm (10%). Overall, mother corm planting during real dormancy, no irrigation after planting and during summer as well as application of associated crops have a positive effect on the mean weight of replacement corms as the main important factor in saffron flowering.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References
Aghhavani-Shajari, M., Rezvani-Moghaddam, P., Koocheki, A.R., Fallahi, H.R., and Taherpour-Kalantari, R. 2015. Evaluation of the effects of soil texture on yield and growth of saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Saffron Agronomy & Technology 2 (4): 311-322. (In Persian with English Summary).
Behdani, M.A. 2005. Ecological zoning and monitoring of saffron yield fluctuations in Khorasan. Ph.D Thesis, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. )In Persian with English Summary).
Behdani, M.A., and. Fallahi, H.R. 2015. Saffron: Technical knowledge and research-based approaches. University of Birjand Publication. (In Persian).
Fallahi, H.R., Paravar, A., Behdani, M.A., Aghhavani-Shajari, M., and Fallahi, M.J. 2014. Effects of saffron corm and leaf extracts on early growth of some plants to investigate the possibility of using them as associated crop. Notulae Scientia Biologica 6 (3): 282-287.
Farooq, S., and Koul, K.K. 1983. Changes in gibberellin like activity in corms of saffron plant (Crocus sativus L.) during dormancy and sprouting. Journal of Plant Biochemistry 178: 685-691.
Feizi, H., Mollafilabi, A., Sahabi, H., and Ahmadian, A. 2015. Effect of summer irrigation and conservation tillage on flower yield and qualitative characteristics of saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Saffron Agronomy & Technology 2 (4): 255-263. (In Persian with English Summary).
Ghasemi-Rooshnavand, R., Hashemiyeh, M., and Afzalian, M. 2009. Planting, conservation and harvesting stages of saffron. Yazd Agriculture Organization, Iran. Issue 132. P33. (In Persian).
Ghobadi, F., Ghorbani Javid, M., and Sorooshzadeh, A. 2015. Effects of planting date and corm size on flower yield and physiological traits of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) under Varamin plain climatic conditions. Saffron Agronomy & Technology 2(4): 265-276. (In Persian with English Summary).
Katawazy, A.S. 2013. A comprehensive study of Afghan saffron. Afghanistan Investment Support Agency. 46p.
Koocheki, A., Najibnia, S., and Lalehgani, B. 2009. Evaluation of saffron yield (Crocus sativus L.) in intercropping with cereals, pulses and medicinal plants. Iranian Journal of Field Crops Research 7 (1): 163-172. (In Persian with English Summary).
Koocheki, A.R., Rezvani-Moghaddam, P., Fallahi, H.R., and Aghhavani-Shajari, M. 2011. Effects of spring, summer and fall planting dates and irrigation with cover crops application on saffron forage yield. 1st National Conference about Opportunity Methods for Sustainable Agriculture. Payam Noor University, Ahvaz. 6p. (In Persian with English Summary).
Koocheki, A. 2013. Research on production of saffron in Iran: Past trend and future prospects. Saffron Agronomy and Technology 1 (1): 3-21. (In Persian with English Summary).
Koocheki, A.R., Fallahi, H.R., Amiri, M.B., and Ehyaei, H.R. 2015a. Effects of humic acid application and mother corm weight on yield and growth of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Agroecology (Accepted for Publication). (In Persian with English Summary).
Koocheki, A.R., Rezvani-Moghaddam, P., and Fallahi, H.R. 2015b. Effects of planting dates, irrigation management and cover crops on growth and yield of saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Agroecology. (Accepted for Publication). (In Persian with English Summary).
Kumar, R., Virendra, S., Kiran, D., Sharma, M., Singh, M.K., and Ahuja, P.S. 2009. State of art of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) agronomy: A comprehensive review. Food Reviews International 25:44-85.
Mohammad-Abadi, A.A., Rezvani-Moghaddam, P., and Fallahi, H.R. 2011. Effects of planting pattern and the first irrigation date on growth and yield of saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Agroecology 3 (1): 84-93. (In Persian with English Summary).
Mosaferi Ziauddin, H., Alizadeh, A., and Mousavi, S.J. 2009. Effect of summer irrigation on saffron yield. Science and Technology of Agriculture 21: 163-169. (In Persian with English Summary).
Naderi Darbaghshahi, M.R., Banitab, A.R., and Bahari, B. 2012. Evaluating the possibility of saffron and chamomile mixed culture. African Journal of Agricultural Research 7 (20): 3060-3065.
Osmani-Roudi, H.R., Masoumi, A., Hamidi, H., and Razavi, S.A.R. 2015. Effects of first irrigation date and organic fertilizer treatments on Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) yield under Khaf climatic conditions. Saffron Agronomy & Technology 3 (1): 25-33. (In Persian with English Summary).
Pazoki, A., Karaminejad, M., and Foladi Targhi, A. 2011. Effects of planting dates and genotypes on yield of Saffron. Crop Physiology Journal 2 (8): 3-28. (In Persian with English Summary).
Pullaro, T.C., Marino, P.C., Jackson, D.M., Harrison, H.F., and Keinath, A.P. 2006. Effects of killed cover crop mulch on weeds, weed seeds, and herbivores. Agriculture Ecosystem and Environment 115: 97–104.
Rezvani Moghaddam, P., Koocheki, A., Molafilabi, A., and Seyyedi, S.M. 2013. The effects of different levels of applied wheat straw in different dates on saffron (Crocus sativus L.) daughter corms and flower initiation criteria in the second year. Saffron Agronomy & Technology 1 (1): 55-70. (In Persian with English Summary).
Rezvani-Moghaddam, P., Mohammad-Abadi, A.A., Fallahi, H.R., and Aghhavabi-Shajari, M. 2014. Effects of nutrient management on flower yield and corm characteristics of saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Journal of Horticultural Science 28 (3): 427-434. (In Persian with English Summary).
Sadeghi, B. 1993. Effect of corm weight on Saffron flowering. Publication of Scientific and Research Organization of Iran. Khorasan Institute, Annual Report. (In Persian).
Sadeghi, B., Hosseini, M., Masroori, M., and Mollafilabi, A. 2013. Effect of nutrition in bed on enlargement of saffron corm. Research Project for Institute of Food Science and Technology, Khorasan Razavi, Iran. 23p. (In Persian).
Sainju, U.M., Singh, B.P., Whitehead, W.F., and Wang, S. 2006. Carbon supply and storage in tilled and non-tilled soils as influenced by cover crops and nitrogen fertilization. Journal of Environmental Quality 35: 1507-1517.
Shabahang, J., Khorramdel, S., Amin Ghafori, A., and Gheshm, R. 2013. Effects on management of crop residues and cover crop planting on density and population of weeds and agronomical characteristics of saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Journal of Saffron Research 1 (1): 57-72. (In Persian with English Summary).
Saffron Agronomy and Technology
Volume 4, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
May 2016
Pages 3-18
Files
Share
How to cite
Statistics