Saffron Agronomy and Technology
In collaboration Iranian Medicinal Plants Society

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

https://doi.org/10.22048/jsat.2013.4811
Volume 1, Issue 1 - Serial Number 1
Autumn 2013
Pages 55-70
Saffron Agronomy and Technology

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Parviz Rezvani Moghaddam 1
Alireza Koocheki 1
Abdollah Molafilabi 2
S. Mohammad Seyyedi 3

1 Professor of Center of Excellence for Special Crops, Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

2 Faculty Member of Institute For Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

3 PhD Student of Crop Ecology Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad

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 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.

Keywords

Flowering
Saffron corms
Wheat mulch
Subjects
  1. Aghaei, M., and Rezagholizadeh, M. 2011. Iran's comparative advantage in production of saffron. Journal of Agricultural Economics and Development 25: 121–132. (In Persian with English Summary)
  2. Azad shahraky, F., Taghavi, H., and Najafi, H. 2010. Effect of tillage and crop residue management on soil properties and yield of corn in Kerman. Knowledge of Modern Agriculture 6:1–9. (In Persian with English Summary)
  3. Bastian, F., Bouziri, L., Nicolardot, B., and Ranjard, L. 2009. Impact of wheat straw decomposition on successional patterns of soil microbial community structure. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 41:262–275.
  4. Behboodi, B.S., and Samadi, L. 2004. The morphological study of amyloplast distribution in Crocus sativus L. fibrous roots. ISHS Acta Horticulturae 650 First International Symposium on Saffron Biology and Biotechnology: 49–54.
  5. Behdani, M.A., Koocheki, A., Nassiri, M., and Rezvani Moghaddam, P. 2006. Evaluation of quantitative relationships between saffron yield and nutrition (on farm trial). Iranian Journal of Field Crops Research 3: 1–14. (In Persian with English Summary)
  6. Chen, S., Zhang, X., Pei, D., and Sun, H. 2005. Effects of corn straw mulching on soil temperature and soil evaporation of winter wheat field. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering 21: 171–173.
  7. Chen, S.Y., Zhang, X.Y., Pei, D., Sun, H.Y., and Chen, S.L. 2007. Effects of straw mulching on soil temperature, evaporation and yield of winter wheat: Field experiments on the North China Plain. Annals of Applied Biology 150: 261–268.
  8. Cheraghi, S., Rafiei, M., and Khorgami, A. 2011. The Effect of Foliar Application of Nitrogen at Different Dates, and Planting Method on Grain Yield, and Yield Components of Mung Bean in the Environmental Conditions of Khoramabad. Journal of Crop Physiology 3: 15-29. (In Persian with English Summary)
  9. Danga, B.O., and Wakindiki, I.I.C. 2009. Effect of placement of straw mulch on soil conservation, nutrient accumulation, and wheat yield in a humid Kenyan highland. Journal of Tropical Agriculture 47: 30–36.
  10. Du Prezz, C.C., Steyn, J.T., and Kotze, E. 2001. Long-term effects of wheat residue management on some fertility indicators of a semi-arid plinth sol. Soil and Tillage Research 63: 25–33.
  11. Foroughifar, H., and Pour Kasmani, M.E. 2002. Soil Science and Management. (Translated) Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Press, Iran. 336 pp. (In Persian)
  12. Ghorbani, R. 2006. The economics of saffron in Iran. Proceedings of the 2th International Symposium on Saffron Biology and Technology. Mashhad, Iran, 28–30 October 2006. 14 pp.
  13. Gresta, F., Avola, G., Lombardoa, G.M., Siracusa, L., and Ruberto, G. 2009. Analysis of flowering, stigma yield and qualitative traits of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) as affected by environmental conditions. Horticultural Sciences 119: 320–324.
  14. Hatami Sardashti, Z., Jami Al-Ahmadi, M., Mahdavi Damghani, A.M., and Behdani M.A. 2011. Evaluation of sustainability in saffron agroecosystems in Birjand and Qaen counties. Journal of Agroecology 3: 396–405. (In Persian with English Summary)
  15. Jorabloo, A., ghoshchi, F., Morteza, A., and Silispoor, M. 2009. Effect of seedbed preparation and barley residue on corn forage yield and quality. Crop Ecophysiology 1: 44-53. (In Persian with English Summary)
  16. Kamkar, B., and Mahdavi Damghani, A. 2008. Principle of Sustainable Agriculture. JDM Press, 316 pp.
  17. Khan, I.A. 2004. Induced mutagenic variability in saffron (Crocus sativus L.). ISHS Acta Horticulture 650. First International Symposium on Saffron Biology and Biotechnology: 281–284.
  18. Koochaki, A., Tabrizi, L., Jahani, M., and Mohammad Abadi, A.A. 2012.  An evaluation of the effect of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) corm planting rate and pattern on the crop's performance. Iranian Journal of Horticultural Science 42: 379–391. (In Persian with English Summary)
  19. Koocheki, A., Gholami, A., Mahvadi Damghani, A., and Tabrizi, L. 2007. Organic Field Crop Handbook (Translated). Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Press, Iran. 385 pp. (In Persian)
  20. Koocheki, A., Jahani, M., Tabrizi, L., and Mohammad Abadi, A.A. 2011. Investigation on the Effect of biofertilizer, chemical fertilizer and plant density on yield and corm criteria of saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Journal of Water and Soil 25:196–206. (In Persian with English Summary)
  21. Koocheki, A., Nassiri, M., Alizadeh, A., and Ganjali, A. 2010. Modelling the impact of climate change on flowering behaviour of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Iranian Journal of Field Crops Research 7: 583–594. (In Persian with English Summary)
  22. Limon-Ortega, A., Govaerts, B., and Sayre, K.D. 2008. Straw management, crop rotation, and nitrogen source effect on wheat grain yield and nitrogen use efficiency. European Journal of Agronomy 29: 21–28.
  23. Molina, R.V., García-Luis, A., Coll, V., Ferrer, C., Valero, M., Navarro, Y., and Guardiola, J.L. 2004. Flower formation in the saffron (Crocus sativus L.). The role of temperature. Acta Horticulturae 650. First International Symposium on Saffron Biology and Biotechnology 39–48.
  24. Molina, R.V., Valero, M., Navarro, Y., Guardiola, J.L., and Garcia-Luis, A. 2005. Temperature effects on flower formation in saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Sciatica Horticulture 103: 361–379.
  25. Monzon, J.P., Sadras, V.O., and Andrade, F.H. 2006. Fallow soil evaporation and water storage as affected by stubble in sub-humid (Argentina) and semi-arid (Australia) environments. Field Crops Research 98: 83–90.
  26. Naderi Darbaghshahi, M.R., Khajebashi, S.M., Banitaba, S.A., and Dehdashti, S.M. 2009. Effects of planting method, density and depth on yield and production period of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) in Isfahan region. Seed and Plant 24: 643–657. (In Persian with English Summary)
  27. Najafinezhad, H., Javaheri, M.A., Ravari, S.Z.A., and Azad Shahraki, F.A.D. 2009. Effect of crop rotation and wheat residue management on grain yield of maize cv. KSC704 and some soil properties. Seed and Plant Production Journal 25(2): 247–260. (In Persian with English Summary)
  28. Nehvi, F.A., Lone, A.A., Khan, M.A., and Maghdoomi, M.I. 2010. Comparative study on effect of nutrient management on growth and yield of saffron under temperate conditions of Keshmir. Acta Horticulturae 850. Third International Symposium on Saffron: Forthcoming Challenges in Cultivation, Research and Economics: 165–170.
  29. Pandey, D., Pandey, V.S., and Srivastava, R.P. 1979. A note on the effect of the size of corms on the sprouting and flowering of saffron. Progressive Horticulture 6:89–92.
  30. Sadeghi, B. 1994. Effect of corm weight on saffron (Crocus sativus L.) flowering. Iranian Research Organization for Science & Technology (I.R.O.S.T.).
  31. Sadeghi, B. 1996. Effects of corm size on flower production in saffron. Annual Report, Scientific and Industrial Research Organization of Khorasan, Mashhad, Iran.
  32. Sadeghi, B. 2008. Sustainable cropping of saffron in Iran. Research Report. Research Institute for Food Science and Technology, Razavi Korasan.
  33. Sadeghi, B., Aghamiri, S.A. and Negari, A.K. 1997. Effect of summer irrigation on increasing saffron (Crocus Sativus L.) yield. Iranian Research Organization for Science & Technology (I.R.O.S.T.).
  34. Sadeghi, B., Razavi, M., and Mohajeri, M. 1987. Effect of chemical elements on saffron cultivation improvement. Khorasan Agricultural Research Center Pub.
  35. Singh Sidhu, A., Sekhon, N.K., Thind, S.S., and Hira, G.S. 2007. Soil temperature, growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) as affected by wheat straw mulch. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science 53: 95–102.

Home

Submit Manuscript

Contact Us