Agriculture
Seyed Mohammad Moosavipoor; Hassan Feizi; hossein sahabi; Hamid-reza Fallahi
Abstract
Recognizing the potential role of seaweed in improving saffron yield and the utilization of micronutrient elements like Ca, Mg, Fe, and Mn to enhance stigma yield, an experiment was conducted. The study investigated the impact of foliar spraying of seaweed extract and selected nutritional elements on ...
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Recognizing the potential role of seaweed in improving saffron yield and the utilization of micronutrient elements like Ca, Mg, Fe, and Mn to enhance stigma yield, an experiment was conducted. The study investigated the impact of foliar spraying of seaweed extract and selected nutritional elements on saffron's quantitative and qualitative traits of saffron.This research was conducted, as factorial based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications during 2021-2022 in Neishabur, Iran. The first factor consisted of seaweed extract (0 and 2 L.ha-1) and the second factor consisted of foliar application of nutrients including no foliar application (as control), and the defender of some elements including iron (1.5 L.ha-1 containing Fe, N, and amino acids), zinc, boron (1 L.ha-1 containing B and amino acids), manganese (1.5 L.ha-1 containing Mn, Zn and S), magnesium and calcium (2 L.ha-1 containing Ca and N). The use of all nutrients compared to the control (no-nutrients) and the use of seaweed extract compared to no-seaweed application caused an increase in flower and stigma yields. Based on the interaction effects of the experimental factors, the highest number of flowers (68.8 No.m-2) was obtained in the combined application of manganese and seaweed extract, the highest flower yield (33.5 g.m-2) was gained with the combined application of seaweed and boron, and the highest dry stigma yield (0.48 g.m-2) was obtained from the simultaneous application of magnesium and seaweed extract, which were 63.8, 16.7 and 17.0%, more than the control treatment (no-seaweed & No-nutrients), respectively. Without nutrient application, the utilization of seaweed extract resulted in a notable rise in the Picrocrocin content of the stigma by 15.9%, Crocin by 9.5%, and Safranal by 10.6% compared to the absence of seaweed application.Combined consumption of calcium with seaweed increased the content of Picrocrocin and Crocin, while simultaneous application of other nutrients with seaweed did not improve these indices. The highest and the lowest content of Safranal (37.7 and 32.35 absorption at 330 nm) were obtained from magnesium + no-seaweed and control (no-seaweed & no-nutrients) treatments, respectively. Overall, although all of the studied elements combined with seaweed extract improved stigma yield in order to increase stigma yield, application of Mg in combination to seaweed recommended and to enhance saffron quality using seaweed suggested.
Processing, food industry and biochemistry
Zohreh Birjandi Toroghi; ّFarid Moradinezhad; Razieh Niazmand; Hassan Bayat
Abstract
Saffron is known as the most expensive spice in the world due to its many medicinal properties. This plant has many secondary metabolites, the most important of which are crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal. Different drying and storage conditions have caused a decrease in the quality ...
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Saffron is known as the most expensive spice in the world due to its many medicinal properties. This plant has many secondary metabolites, the most important of which are crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal. Different drying and storage conditions have caused a decrease in the quality and effective ingredients of saffron stigma, which has reduced its value and credibility for export. This research aimed to explore methods for preserving the quality and microbial characteristics of dry saffron stigma during storage. Saffron stigmas were packed using three-layer packages (polyethylene-polyester-polyethylene) under three atmospheres: air, vacuum, and N2.The packages were then stored at room temperature for 80 days. Once every 20 days, the concentration of oxygen gases, carbon dioxide, physicochemical properties, total microbial load and sample scanning image were measured. The results showed that the best samples for maintaining the physicochemical characteristics of saffron stigma were packages containing nitrogen-rich atmosphere, so the amount of crocin and picrocrocin decreased by 0.1% and 0.3%, respectively, while the amount of safranal increased by 0.3%. Also, the total microbial load decreased by one logarithmic cycle compared to the first day of storage in packages containing a vacuum atmosphere. Electron microscope images also showed that the samples under nitrogen atmosphere, like the control sample, had cell swelling and bubble-shaped particles along with cell membrane rupture and cell collapse.
Biotechnology and genetics
Mohammad Javad Habibzadeh; Seyed Mahdi Ziaratnia; Ebrahim Dorani-Uliaie
Abstract
Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. The economic value of saffron is due to the existence of apocarotenoids in its stigma. Therefore, the isolation and characterization of genes involving in apocarotenoids metabolism is on particular importance. In this research, beacause the importance ...
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Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. The economic value of saffron is due to the existence of apocarotenoids in its stigma. Therefore, the isolation and characterization of genes involving in apocarotenoids metabolism is on particular importance. In this research, beacause the importance of CsUGT gene in crocin biosynthesis, it was isolated, cloned the E.coli strain DH5α. The full length gene was sequenced and registered in the NCBI. In order to characterize CsUGT gene, first the protein sequence was obtained, and then the physical and chemical characteristics and physiology of the CsUGT protein were analyzed by Protparam, SOPMA, ProtScale, Pfam, ProtComp, SignalP, TMHMM and ChloroP servers and tools. Also, using the Swiss-Model server, the 3D structure of this protein was investigated and Ramachandran diagram was drawn to validate the 3D drawn model structure. According to the results, CsUGT protein with 462 amino acids has the conserved sequence of glycosyltransferase family proteins and was identified as a polar protein, stable at high temperatures and without hydrophobic domain. CsUGT protein has no peptide signal or binding signals and has a cytoplasmic location. This research made it possible to isolate the CsGTS gene of saffron and optimized the conditions of its transfer into a vector. In addition, the results of CsUGT protein structure analysis provide the basis for future functional studies and can also provide valuable information regarding the behavior and reaction of this enzyme in the synthesis of saffron apocarotenoids. In addition, these results can be useful in the future programs of Iranian saffron genetic modification.
Biotechnology and genetics
Mehdi Hassanlou; Mohammad Reza Azimi Moghaddam; Seyed Alireza Salamii; Ehsan Mohsenifard
Abstract
Cultivated saffron (Crocus sativus L.) boasts remarkable commercial value due to its possessing three pivotal metabolites: crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal. The significance of obtaining these metabolites, particularly crocin, from sources other than cultivated saffron has grown substantially, primarily ...
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Cultivated saffron (Crocus sativus L.) boasts remarkable commercial value due to its possessing three pivotal metabolites: crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal. The significance of obtaining these metabolites, particularly crocin, from sources other than cultivated saffron has grown substantially, primarily driven by native wild saffron species in Iran. In this ongoing study, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) has been harnessed as a potent analytical tool for the identification of these metabolites in two wild saffron species, Khazar (C. caspius) and Ziba (C. specious), alongside the cultivated variety. Furthermore, bioinformatics tools have been employed to extract nucleotide and protein sequences, thereby facilitating the prediction of protein structures for genes integral to the biosynthesis process of these notable apocarotenoids in an in-silico manner. The research findings have showcased the presence of crocin across all analyzed samples, albeit in varying quantities. Specifically, the crocin content in the cultivated saffron, Ziba, and Khazar species accounted for 26.76%, 2.8%, and 0.74% of dry weight matter, respectively. However, the amount of picrocrocin and safranal metabolites in cultivated species was 8.4 and 0.03 percent, respectively, but there were no detectable amounts of these apocarotenoids in the studied wild species. , The existence of crocin in wild species has made hope for conducting research and searching in wild species for these effective substances and implementing breeding programs or genetic manipulation for the mentioned species.
Biotechnology and genetics
Mehdi Hassanlou; Mohammad Reza Azimi Moghaddam; Seyed Alireza Salami; Ehsan Mohsenifard
Abstract
Agricultural saffron Crocus sativus L. is a medicinal, widely used and expensive plant and has important effective substances: crocin, picrocrocin and safranal, which gives it the characteristics of color, taste and smell. The search for new sources producing the aforementioned apocarotenoids makes the ...
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Agricultural saffron Crocus sativus L. is a medicinal, widely used and expensive plant and has important effective substances: crocin, picrocrocin and safranal, which gives it the characteristics of color, taste and smell. The search for new sources producing the aforementioned apocarotenoids makes the importance of research on it more obvious day by day. Since the country of Iran has diploid wild species with characteristics close to the sterile triploid cultivated species, in the present research, two species of Caspian saffron C. caspius and Zeiba C. Speciosus, along with the cultivated species, were investigated and 6 genes active in the production of the three mentioned effective substances , CCD2, ALDH, PSY, LCY, BCH, UGT74 (and a housekeeping gene TUB as an internal control gene with constant expression in all tissues) in two flower tissues, stigma and perianth (tepal) and in five stages (time) of flowering including: The stages of bud formation (immature bud), bud ready to bloom, newly opened flower, mature flower and old flower were investigated. Using of Real Time PCR, the expression ratio (fold change) to the internal control gene (with logarithm based on 2) was investigated in different genes and different and sometimes similar expression patterns were observed with the gene expression in the cultivated species in both the stigma and stigma tissues. Based on the results obtained in this study and the increase or decrease in the expression of some genes involved in the pathways of apocarotenoids production, at the same time as the growth of the stages from the bud to the senescence stage of the flower, it is expected from the three aforementioned substances or from other apocarotenoids in the metabolom of flowers, cases have been found in the non-triploid species and create approaches for the commercial use of Iranian wild saffron species and pave the way for its commercialization.
Agriculture
Zohreh Natavan; Rooholla Moradi; Mahdi Naghizadeh; Nasibeh Pourghasemian
Abstract
In order to study the effect of different chemical and organic mulch types on various soil characteristics and qualitative and quantitative yield of saffron (Crocus sativus L.), an experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications at Qaen region in during 2018-2019. ...
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In order to study the effect of different chemical and organic mulch types on various soil characteristics and qualitative and quantitative yield of saffron (Crocus sativus L.), an experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications at Qaen region in during 2018-2019. The experimental treatments were application of various mulch types for weed control (no weed control, hand weeding, transparent polyethylene, black polyethylene, beeswax waste, residues of grape leaf, wheat straw, pomegranate leaf, pistachio leaf, barley straw and saffron corm dunnage). The results showed that all the treatments except black and transparent polyethylene significantly improved the potassium contents of soil compared to hand weeding treatment. Treatments of beeswax waste (0.083%), pistachio leaf (0.081%) and transparent polyethylene (0.080%) included the highest amount of soil nitrogen. The highest amount of carbon (0.838%) and soil organic matter (1.17%) was also observed in beeswax waste mulch treatment. This treatment also led to soil acidification compared to other treatments. Application of all the mulches except transparent polyethylene caused a significant increase in stigmas yield of saffron compared to non-weeding conditions. Beeswax waste and wheat straw had the highest stigma yield (4.89 and 4.32 kg ha-1), respectively; which these increased the stigma yield by 213% and 177% compared to the no weeding treatment. Black polyethylene, pomegranate leaf and grape leaf did not show a significant difference with hand weeding in terms of stigma yield of saffron. The highest amount of safranal, crocin and picrocrocin in saffron was obtained to the black polyethylene mulch treatment. In general, the results confirmed that the application of all the studied mulches with the exception of transparent polyethylene led to improving soil characteristics and saffron yield compared to no weed control treatment and are recommended to farmers.
Agriculture
Elnaz Ghaffarzadeh; Noraddin Hosseinpour Azad; Ali Shahi; Olivia De Murtas
Abstract
Saffron with the scientific name (Crocus sativus L.) belongs to the Iridaceae family. This plant stigma is one of the most expensive spices in the world due to its rich apocarotenoids contents crocin (responsible for color), picrocrocin (bitter taste), and safranal (perfume). For quantitative analysis ...
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Saffron with the scientific name (Crocus sativus L.) belongs to the Iridaceae family. This plant stigma is one of the most expensive spices in the world due to its rich apocarotenoids contents crocin (responsible for color), picrocrocin (bitter taste), and safranal (perfume). For quantitative analysis of these metabolites by Spectroscopy and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC UV-Vis) in Saffron stigma biphasic extract, in purpose the aim of introducing a suitable chemotype of this plant for cultivation in Ardabil province, this study was conducted in an experimental design of randomized complete blocks with three different replications. the data analysis of variance with GenStat ver. 12.1 showed that there were significant differences (P <0.01) between the studied areas based on the apocartenoids content, and the mean comparisons with the protected Fisher test showed that among the studied areas the chemotype of Onar village in Meshginshahr city Following the quantitative pattern of apocarotenoids, has a relative dominance in comparison with other regions, and on average, the amounts of crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal in the sample volume range are 0.15±0.1, 4.9±0.11 and 1±0.2 of dry matter was measured respectively. According to the obtained data, According to the obtained data, it can be inferred that this region of Ardabil province compared to other regions of this province has the necessary potential to produce this product with high quality.
Agriculture
Alijan Salariyan; Sohrab Mahmoodi; Mohammad. Ali Behdani; hamed kaveh
Abstract
In order to investigate the effect of salinity levels, bio fertilizer and nano fertilizer of Fe on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of saffron, a factorial experiment was conducted as a combined analysis in location by a randomized complete block design with three replications. Bio fertilizer ...
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In order to investigate the effect of salinity levels, bio fertilizer and nano fertilizer of Fe on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of saffron, a factorial experiment was conducted as a combined analysis in location by a randomized complete block design with three replications. Bio fertilizer was applied at four levels of zero, 500, 1000 and 1500 kg ha-1 and nanoparticles of Fe was applied at two levels of non-consumption and application of four liters per hectare. These factors were investigated in two locations with different irrigation salinity (2.29 and 4.49 dS m-1). The results showed that there were the highest values for traits of weight of flower, number of flowers, dry weight of stigma and weight of stigma + style in irrigation conditions with a salinity of 2.29 dS m-1. In the mentioned traits, under the conditions of irrigation with salinity of 2.29 dS m-1, there was no significant difference between the application and non-application levels of nano fertilizer of Fe; However, in the conditions of irrigation with salinity of 4.49 dS m-1, the application of nano fertilizer of Fe compared to non-application, caused a significant increase of 35.5, 33, 32.8 and 34.1% of these traits, respectively. Comparison of mean for triple interaction showed that at both salinity levels of 2.29 and 4.49 dS m-1, in the absence of bio fertilizer, the application of nano fertilizer of Fe could significantly increase the amount of crocin. However, in the application of different levels of bio fertilizer, the application of nano fertilizer of Fe reduced significantly the amount of crocin. The highest amount of safranal was observed in salinity of 4.49 dS m-1 and in the treatments of application of 500 and 1500 kg per hectare of bio fertilizer and application of nano fertilizer of Fe as well as non-application of bio fertilizers and nanoparticles of Fe. Irrigation with salinity of 4.49 dS m-1 in bio fertilizer levels (except for 500 kg ha-1) caused a significant increase in picrocrocin. In generally, it seems that for achieving higher yields, irrigation with less saline water and in case of irrigation with water by more than salinity of 4.2 dS m-1, the use of nano fertilizer of Fe to moderate the effects of salinity is recommended.
Agriculture
Mansoore Kermani; Shahram Amirmoradi
Abstract
This research was carried out as factorial experiment basis on randomized block design with four replications on a three-year saffron farm in Mashhad at 2017/2018 crop year. The experimental factors were different concentrations of silica (0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.2 and 1.5 lit/ha) and the number of spraying ...
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This research was carried out as factorial experiment basis on randomized block design with four replications on a three-year saffron farm in Mashhad at 2017/2018 crop year. The experimental factors were different concentrations of silica (0, 0.3, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.2 and 1.5 lit/ha) and the number of spraying times (Once, twice and three times). Silica spraying (with Crapsil brand) was performed on February 6, March 1 and March 6, 2017.The results showed that the main effect of silica, the number of sprays and their interaction on all studied traits were significant. Mean comparisons of the experimental factors revealed that at the concentration of 1.2 lit/ha silica and two times of spraying, the highest number of flowers per plant(693 flowers), leaf dry weight(3.56 gr/plant), fresh weight of corm(67.25 gr/plant), stigma length(3.8 cm), fresh and dry weight of stigma(1656.5 and 14.39 kg/ha respectively),Safranal (33%) and crocin (192.75%) obtained. The highest amount of picrocrocin (66.35%) was obtained at the concentration of 1.5 lit/ha and two times of spraying. Therefore, the application of silica with the concentration of 1.2 lit/ha in the two stages of spraying was the best treatment and was able to increase the number of flowers per plant, fresh weight of corms and dry weight of stigma 26.5, 106 and 21.2 percent, respectively compared with the control treatment.
Processing, food industry and biochemistry
Jalal Ghanbari; Gholamreza Khajoei-Nejad
Abstract
Modifications in saffron quality characteristics due to storage time between samples harvested from two consecutive years have not been studied well. For this purpose, saffron samples harvested from 2016 and 2017 were analyzed using proton transfer reaction-time of flight-mass spectrometry (PTR-TOF-MS) ...
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Modifications in saffron quality characteristics due to storage time between samples harvested from two consecutive years have not been studied well. For this purpose, saffron samples harvested from 2016 and 2017 were analyzed using proton transfer reaction-time of flight-mass spectrometry (PTR-TOF-MS) and ISO 3632 trade standard procedures to determine volatile compounds as well as crocin and picrocrocin contents, respectively. The results of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) analysis revealed that 11 main compounds including safranal, acetic acid, 2(5H)-furanone, isobutanal, biogenic aldehyde fragment, 4-ketoisophorone, acetaldehyde, butyrolactone, acetone/propanal, methanol, and isophorone were responsible for the overall VOCs profile of saffron, as accounted for more than 80% of the identified VOCs. Comparisons between samples stored from two years showed that safranal, acetic acid, 2(5H)-furanone, biogenic aldehyde fragment, and butyrolactone compounds were significantly increased for samples stored from 2016 (between 56-82 percent) compared with the samples obtained from 2017. On the contrary, isophorone isomers contents as safranal precursors, decreased their contents relatively. Similarly, crocin and picrocrocin contents measured by ISO method differed significantly between samples of two studied years. For all the studied samples, color and flavor factors of saffron reduced by 20 and 14% on the average for samples stored from 2016 in comparison with amples obtained from 2017, respectively. According to results of principal component analysis, change in crocin, picrocrocin, and main volatile compounds of saffron including safranal, acetic acid, 2(5H)-furanone, isobutanal, and isophorone could be considered as an indicator for distinguishing the current year’s harvested samples from the samples stored since previous years.
Biotechnology and genetics
Tofigh Taherkhani; Rasool Asghari Zakaria; Mansoor Omidi; Nasser Zare; mahboubeh taherkhani
Abstract
Saffron (Crocus sativus) as an important medicinal and economical plant of Iran is rich in flavor, aroma and color, along with medicinal properties in addition to nutritional benefits. The effect of chitosan on Crocin and Safranal amounts as two important medicinal components and expression of their ...
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Saffron (Crocus sativus) as an important medicinal and economical plant of Iran is rich in flavor, aroma and color, along with medicinal properties in addition to nutritional benefits. The effect of chitosan on Crocin and Safranal amounts as two important medicinal components and expression of their controlling genes in suspension culture of saffron was subjected as the aim of this study. For this purpose, saffron bulbs were cultured in ½ MS medium being treated with 100 and 150 mg/l of chitosan under cell suspension medium and callus optimal growth conditions. Samples were taken at 24 and 72 hours after the application of treatment in 3 replications. Measurement of secondary metabolites was done with HPLC and analysis of genes’ expression was performed with real-time PCR. The results showed that after the use of 100 and 150 mg/l of chitosan and after 24 and 72 hours, the two CsLYC and CsGT-2 genes expression significantly increased. Also, the results showed that Safranal and Crocin levels by the use of chitosan are significantly different at both harvesting times, so that 150 mg/l at harvest time of 72 hours after application of the treatment had the highest amount of Crocin and Safranal. Usage of chitosan as a bio-stimulant in the growth of medicinal and economic plants of saffron increased the amount of valuable secondary metabolites in the cell suspension culture of the plant.
Javad Tabatabaeian; Saeed Hassanian; Azam Kadkhodaie
Abstract
This research was carried out with the aim of studying the effect of zinc and potassium levels as foliar application on quantitative and qualitative traits of saffron (Crocus sativa) in Natanz city (village Badrude) in the second year of agriculture during 2019. The experiment was done as factorial layout ...
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This research was carried out with the aim of studying the effect of zinc and potassium levels as foliar application on quantitative and qualitative traits of saffron (Crocus sativa) in Natanz city (village Badrude) in the second year of agriculture during 2019. The experiment was done as factorial layout based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. Elements such as KNO3 at the levels of control (K1), 5 in thousand (K2) and 10 in thousand (K3) and Zn-EDTA at the levels of control (Z1), 5 in thousand (Z2) and 10 in thousand (Z3) were the treatments. The studied traits included quantitative traits of fresh and dry weight of the girl's corm, fresh and dry weight of mother corm, fresh and dry yield of the flower, fresh dry yield of the stigma, qualitative traits of Crocin, picocrocin and safranal. The results showed that K2 and K3 levels increased the quantitative traits, especially at K3 level. While spraying zinc only at the Z2 level quantitative traits increased and it had no significant effect on qualitative traits. The application of potassium fertilizer at the K3 level along with the Z2 had the greatest effect on increasing the quantitative traits of saffron. Perhaps one of the reasons for increasing flower yield can be attributed to the positive effects of potassium and zinc on the photosynthetic system of the plant. This increase in the amount of photosynthesis and metabolism, in turn, affects the amount of stigma production and increases dry weight of the stigma. As a result of potassium spraying, amount of crocin and picrocrocin increased from K1 to K3 by 18 and 13 %, and safranal increased from K1 to K2 and K3 increased by 30% and 48%, respectively. In the present study, there was a positive and significant correlation between the amount of Crocin, Picrocrocin and Safranal contents with quantitative characteristics in saffron. It can be said that quality traits are influenced by quantitative traits and yield components of saffron. Therefore, flowering and flower yield of saffron is also effective in improving its quality.
parisa sheykholeslami; Jalal Saba; Farid Shekari; Mohammad Reza Azimi; Azam Maleki
Abstract
Each year a large amount of saffron petals which make up a significant proportion of saffron flowers are discarded as waste while this part of the flower also contains compounds such as phenol, anthocyanin, flavonoid and antioxidant properties. Two separate experiments were conducted using randomized ...
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Each year a large amount of saffron petals which make up a significant proportion of saffron flowers are discarded as waste while this part of the flower also contains compounds such as phenol, anthocyanin, flavonoid and antioxidant properties. Two separate experiments were conducted using randomized complete block design with three replications in order to evaluate secondary metabolites, total phenol content and antioxidant capacity of petals in eight saffron populations under normal and once irrigation conditions at the research farm of university of Zanjan on three year old saffron plants. In order to measure and determine secondary metabolites, total phenol content and antioxidant properties of saffron petal extract, UV-Visible Metering Spectra, folin-Ciocalteu and DPPH were used, respectively. Combined analysis of variance under normal and once irrigation conditions showed that the difference between secondary metabolites and antioxidant properties was not significant in the two irrigation conditions. While, total phenol content was significantly higher under the once irrigation condition, the Torbat-e-jam population had highest total phenol content (86.66 mg gallic acid per gram of methanolic extract) under this condition. In both irrigation conditions, the evaluated populations exhibited suitable amounts of picocrocin, safranal, phenol and antioxidant properties which can be considered to be of use for us in the food, pharmaceutical and chemical industries.
Agriculture
Amin Ramezani; Hossein Aroiee; Majid Azizi; Ahmad Ahmadian
Abstract
In order to find and recommend a method for improving vegetative and reproductive traits and economic yield of saffron using organic compounds of soil amendment, a split plot experiment including three irrigation intervals of 30, 50 and 70 days as main plots and three factors of vermicompost, Terracottem ...
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In order to find and recommend a method for improving vegetative and reproductive traits and economic yield of saffron using organic compounds of soil amendment, a split plot experiment including three irrigation intervals of 30, 50 and 70 days as main plots and three factors of vermicompost, Terracottem and Bolourab A, as well as control, as sub plots was carried out for three years (2014-2017) at Saffron Research Institute, Torbat-e-Heydarieh University. The results showed that the effects of treatments on all quantitative and qualitative traits, were significant (p
Processing, food industry and biochemistry
Maryam Akbarian; Fakhri Shahidi; Mohammad Javad Varidi; Arash Koocheki; sahar roshanak
Abstract
Saffron is the most expensive agricultural product in the world and Iran is the largest saffron producer in the world. Saffron contamination in different stages of the production process, in addition to quality loss leads to reducing credit in the global market and exporting. Therefore, it is necessary ...
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Saffron is the most expensive agricultural product in the world and Iran is the largest saffron producer in the world. Saffron contamination in different stages of the production process, in addition to quality loss leads to reducing credit in the global market and exporting. Therefore, it is necessary to select an appropriate method for inactivation the microbial flora of saffron. Among the common methods that used to inactivation the microorganisms, cold plasma is due to the potential benefits such as non-toxic nature, low operational costs, and a significant reduction in water consumption during decontamination, and the possibility of its use for a variety of food products has attracted much attention. Plasma is a state of ionizing gas, including ions, electrons, ultraviolet rays, and reactive species such as radicals, atoms and molecules that can ignite, which can inactivate microorganisms. in this research, cold plasma was produced using two types of gas including nitrogen and air, and the effect of plasma radiation at 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 minutes on the chemical and microbial (Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Mold and Yeast) properties of saffron were investigated. The results of this study showed that germicidal effect of nitrogen plasma was lower than air plasma and the plasma exposure time had a significant effect on reduction of microbial load and by increasing the time of plasma exposure, the inactivation of microorganisms increased. The maximum microbial reduction was observed in 12 minutes. Maximum reduction in microbial load was observed at 12 minutes and 18 kilovolt voltage, which reduced the population of Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, mold and yeast by 2/69, 2/48, 1/95 log cycle respectively, However, with increasing radiation time, the amount of crocin, picocrocin and safranal decreased (p˂0.05). Reduction of crocin, safranal and picocrocin in 12 minutes was 6/01, 4/04, 5/44%, respectively.
Biotechnology and genetics
Noraddin Hosseinpour Azad
Abstract
The existence of isoform genes in plants led to the creation of the different types of isomeric metabolites like these glycosylated forms. This study was conducted to investigate the identification and heterologous expression of Saffron stigmas Glycosyl transferase coding isoform gene during the pollination ...
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The existence of isoform genes in plants led to the creation of the different types of isomeric metabolites like these glycosylated forms. This study was conducted to investigate the identification and heterologous expression of Saffron stigmas Glycosyl transferase coding isoform gene during the pollination stage. The results have been obtained by sequencing and bioinformatics analysis of an isolated gene from saffron genomes by degenerate oligo’s revealed that the gene is in1283 bp length and belongs to CsUGT protein family which has Apo- plastic secretion in the cell. to evaluate the enzymatic function, firstly the isolated sequence was sub-cloned under arabinose induce promoter in pThio-UGT expression vector by Gibson assembly technique, then the recombinant vector transformed into BL21-pGro7 bacteria which were able to express chaperon proteins with EL& ES subunits. Followed by destructing the bacteria cell wall via ultrasound, the pellet was suspended by PBS solution and then the soluble proteins were extracted by boiling method. Finally, the protein electrophoresis by SDS pages10% was showed that the recombinant protein of CsUGT expressed correctly in bacteria with 69/5 kDa molecular weight. The gained results in this project could be applied to determine the breeding's strategies to improve qualitative and quantitative traits such as color and aroma in saffron.
Agriculture
Ehsan Ollah Jalili; Farnaz Ganjabadi; davod habibi; alireza eivazi
Abstract
In order to increase the quality and yield of saffron, an experiment was conducted in the Alborz province, (Eshtehard), in the year 2016-2017 through the interaction of nitroxin biological fertilizer and irrigation management. The experiment was conducted as split plot in randomized complete block design ...
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In order to increase the quality and yield of saffron, an experiment was conducted in the Alborz province, (Eshtehard), in the year 2016-2017 through the interaction of nitroxin biological fertilizer and irrigation management. The experiment was conducted as split plot in randomized complete block design with 3 replications. The experimental factors included irrigation method (Surface drip Irrigation, Subsurface drip Irrigation (15 cm depth) and Irrigation is Common (conventional area) in the main plot) and biological fertilizer of nitroxin (no fertilizer (control), 2, 4 and 6 lit.ha-1 in the Subplot). The results of this study showed that simple and interaction effects of biological fertilizer application of nitroxin and irrigation management were significant in all measured traits. In order to use optimal water resources, diamond irrigation method (Subsurface drip Irrigation) can be used to reduce irrigation losses and achieve high yield in saffron production. The effects of irrigation management of Subsurface drip Irrigation diameters with biological fertilizer of nitroxin 4 lit.ha-1 were superior to other treatments, so that the highest yield of saffron stigma was observed in this treatment with 5.8 kg.ha-1.
Agriculture
Anis Rezaei; Hassan Feizi; Rohollah Moradi
Abstract
In order to evaluate the effect of last irrigation cut-off time and various fertilizer resources on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) flower, an experiment was conducted in a split-plot arranged as a randomized complete block design with three replications and ...
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In order to evaluate the effect of last irrigation cut-off time and various fertilizer resources on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) flower, an experiment was conducted in a split-plot arranged as a randomized complete block design with three replications and 18 treatments in a four year research farm of Jihad ministry located in Lalezar village, Bardsir region, Kerman province, in 2015-2016. The experimental treatments were irrigation cut-off time (conventional time (5 May), 15 days before the conventional time (20 April) and 15 days after conventional time (20 May)) assigned to the main plot, and nutritional resources (cow manure 40 t ha-1, hen manure15 t.ha-1, vermicompost 10 t ha-1, humic acid 2 kg ha-1, and chemical fertilizer containing 200 kg ha-1 urea and 140 kg.ha-1 P and K) as subplot. The analysis of variance results showed that the effect of irrigation cut-off treatment was significant on all the quantitative traits, but the treatment had no significant effect on qualitative traits of flower. The results showed that the delay in irrigation cut-off led to a significant decrease in other traits. As, the highest number of flowers (41.10 in m-2), fresh (145.16 kg.ha-1) and dry (19.41 kg.ha-1) weight of flower, fresh (11.12 kg.ha-1) and dry (2.02 kg.ha-1) weight of stigma were found in the earlier irrigation cut-off treatment (before the conventional time). The effect of fertilizer resources on all the studied traits was significant except for the values of picrocrocin and safranal. In all the irrigation treatments, vermicompost and cow manure significantly produced higher flower number and stigma yield than other fertilizer treatments. Dry stigma yield in chemical fertilizer (1.91 kg.ha-1), hen manure (1. 57 kg.ha-1) and humic acid (1.42 kg.ha-1) was significantly higher than control (1.26 kg.ha-1). The highest (169.7 nm) and lowest (163.1 nm) amount of crocin were obtained in control and vermicompost treatments, respectively. In general, the results showed that irrigation cut-off in April with using vermicompost fertilizer had the best conditions for saffron cultivation in the Bardsir region of Kerman.
Agriculture
Shirin Ansaryan Mahabadi; Iraj Allah dadi; Majid Ghorbani Javid; Elias Soltani
Abstract
Salicylic acid as a plant hormone plays an important role in regulating growth and physiological processes in plant. In order to study the effects of salicylic acid hormone and mother corm weight on saffron flowering properties, an experiment was conducted as factorial based on a randomized complete ...
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Salicylic acid as a plant hormone plays an important role in regulating growth and physiological processes in plant. In order to study the effects of salicylic acid hormone and mother corm weight on saffron flowering properties, an experiment was conducted as factorial based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the saffron research field of College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran during 2016-2017. The first factor consist of salicylic acid in three levels (Normal, priming with 1 and 2 mM concentrations (and second factor was weight of corm in two level that consist of small corm (3-5 gr) and large corm (8-10 gr). The results showed that the effect of corm weight on fresh weight of flower, Length of flower, fresh weight of stigma, length of stigma, fresh weight of pistil, length of pistil and qualitative characteristics of stigma were significant. The amount of these traits was higher in terms of the use of large mother’s corms. The effect of corm weight on dry weight of stigma was not significant. Interaction between salicylic acid and corm weight on all traits was not significant but the results of mean comparisons showed that the highest amount of fresh weight of flower (99.5 kg/ha), dry weight of stigma (1.45 kg/ha) and lowest days to emergence was 47 days after planting that related to salicylic acid in 2 mM. More amount of picrocrocin as a saffron flavor was related to salicylic acid in 1 mM. Crocin percentage in the priming treatment with 2 mM salicylic acid was higher than the other two levels; amount of safranal was high at 1mM. Totally, results of this experiment indicated that planting large mother’s corms with salicylic acid led to improvement of some quantitative and qualitative characteristics of saffron stigma.
Other subject about saffron
hamed kaveh; amir salari
Abstract
In recent decades, the concept of quality of agricultural products has changed drastically and the quality of raw material is considered as a necessary prerequisite for the quality of the final processed product. With an aim of quality classification of saffron production centers in the provinces of ...
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In recent decades, the concept of quality of agricultural products has changed drastically and the quality of raw material is considered as a necessary prerequisite for the quality of the final processed product. With an aim of quality classification of saffron production centers in the provinces of Khorasan, the main components of marketability and quality of saffron (Crocin, Picrocrocin and Safranal) are determined using ultraviolet-visible light spectrum analysis and the ISO / TS 36322 standard. Product sampling was done from 14 centers of saffron production in Khorasan provinces including Safiabad, Qaen, Kashmar, Torbat Heydarieh, Khalil Abad, Bardaskan, Shahn Abad, Chakhmaq, Torbat-Jam, Faizabad, Sabzevar, Sarayan, Eshq Abad and Birjand. Harvest, stigma separation and drying was performed equally in all samples. Comparison of results to national and ISO standard showed that the Safranal content in all of the studied areas were lower than both Iran’s national standard and ISO standards. For Picrocrocin, the results for most of the studied centers were better than ISO standard. However, the results obtained from region numbers 2, 10, 11 and 12 did not reach the national standard of Iran and the products of region numbers 5, 8 and 9 were close to the lowest value in the standard. Region 12 had the lowest Crocin content which was lower than both ISO and national standards. All of the regions 2,5,10 and 14 had low Crocin content and did not reach the minimum quality of Iran’s national standard for Crocin content.
Agriculture
Mohammad Hossein Aminifard; faride ahmadi
Abstract
components of saffron were evaluated under field conditions. Treatments were four levels cow manure (0, 10, 20 and 30 t.ha-1) and three fulvic acid (0, 5 and 10 kg.ha-1). This experiment was carried out as factorial based on randomized completely block design with three replications in research farm ...
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components of saffron were evaluated under field conditions. Treatments were four levels cow manure (0, 10, 20 and 30 t.ha-1) and three fulvic acid (0, 5 and 10 kg.ha-1). This experiment was carried out as factorial based on randomized completely block design with three replications in research farm of Birjand University, Iran, during cropping year 2015-2016. Results showed that cow manure improved the active ingredients of stigma (picrocrocin, safranal and crocin) in first year of study. Also, results showed that petal antioxidant compounds (total phenol and anthocyanin) and active ingredients of stigma were influenced by cow manure in second year of study. The highest safranal was obtained in plants treated with 10 t.ha-1 cow manure in first year of experiment. Results also showed that fulvic acid has a positive effect active ingredients of stigma (picrocrocin and crocin), anthocyanin and total phenol in two years of experiment and the highest rate of anthocyanin and total phenol were obtained with 5 kg.ha-1 fulvic acid while the lowest values were recorded in control. Application of different levels of cow manure and fulvic acid had a positive effect on the active ingredients of stigma in two years of experiment and anthocyanin and phenol in second year of study. Thus, results showed that cow manure and fulvic acid have significant impact on antioxidant compounds and active ingredients of saffron under field conditions.
Processing, food industry and biochemistry
Elham Azarpazhooh; Ahmad Ehtiati; Parvin Sharayei
Abstract
Saffron, as the most expensive agricultural and pharmaceutical product of the world, has a special value among plants. Since the Saffron harvesting period is short, its storage for later processing requires understanding the most effective factors affecting the quality of saffron and its deterioration. ...
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Saffron, as the most expensive agricultural and pharmaceutical product of the world, has a special value among plants. Since the Saffron harvesting period is short, its storage for later processing requires understanding the most effective factors affecting the quality of saffron and its deterioration. Therefore the effects of reposition thickness, storage temperature and storage time of saffron flowers on its chemical parameters including crocin, safranal and picrocrocin values of saffron stigma and its microbial quality indicators including total count, coliform and mold contamination were modelled. This was done using multi-layer perceptron artificial neural network (ANN) and its structure and the learning parameters were optimized using genetic algorithm technique. The optimized MLP neural networkwas capable to predict the saffron quality characteristics during storage with coefficient of determinations higher than %94 and low error values (RMSE lower than 3.5 for all responses). The ANN model showed that reposition thickness has the lowest impact on chemical and microbial parameters deterioration while increasing storage temperature and time drastically increased loss of quality although the effect of storage time is lower than that of storage temperature. Overall, keeping fresh saffron flowers at a low temperature near zero degrees centigrade is necessary for maximum retention of valuable chemical compounds and minimum microbial contamination development during saffron flower storage for further processing.
Processing, food industry and biochemistry
Noraddin Hosseinpour azad; Ghorban Ali Nematzadeh; Giovanni Giuliano; Gholam Ali Ranjbar; Ahad Yamchi
Abstract
The main metabolites in saffron are the Apo- carotenoids’ Crocin and Crocetin. Color intensity and quality of saffron mostly depend on the presence of Crocins that are glycosylated steric form of Crocetin by glycosyltransferase enzyme. The aim of this study is the characterization of these metabolites ...
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The main metabolites in saffron are the Apo- carotenoids’ Crocin and Crocetin. Color intensity and quality of saffron mostly depend on the presence of Crocins that are glycosylated steric form of Crocetin by glycosyltransferase enzyme. The aim of this study is the characterization of these metabolites in methanolic and chloroformic extracts of saffron stigmas during anthesis stage by LC-APCI-MS. Identification of cis and trans isomers of Crocin and Crocetin was done by three parameters such as mass spectra registered in the negative ion mode, retention time and absorption ratio related to each metabolites. The variability of these parameters made it possible to detect the Crocins isomer with regard to the attached position and the number of UDP- glucose and Gentiobiosyl molecules to Crocetin structure. Crocins was the mainly detected components as there are polar components that are classified in the carotenoeids groups and the strified form of Crocetin Glucose (β-D-Glucopyranosyl) and Gentiobiose (β-D-Glucopyranosyl-D-Glucose). Also doubly charged ions were found for trans-isomers of Crocin-4, due to the high symmetry of their molecules. Based on the data gathered, the applied chromatograph Machin in this project is accurate and it is most sensitive tools to investigate about plants’ natural components like saffron, also the used APCI-MS in negative ions mode is the most efficient method to distinguish different steric forms of Crocin based on the ion’s fragments related to united reduction of glycosyl and gentiobiosyl as well as molecular fractions.
Agriculture
Masoumeh Vakili-ghartavol; Saeedeh Alizadeh Salteh
Abstract
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a valuable product that is moderately resistant to drought and is cultivated in environments with very different climatic conditions. The most important chemical compositions of saffron include crocin and crocetin derivatives. Saffron is used as a food colouring and flavouring ...
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Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a valuable product that is moderately resistant to drought and is cultivated in environments with very different climatic conditions. The most important chemical compositions of saffron include crocin and crocetin derivatives. Saffron is used as a food colouring and flavouring agent in the food industry. Moreover, it is utilized in folk medicine as antispasmodic, carminative, sedative, anti-depression and for heart disease. In this study, saffron samples from different altitudes, i.e. Marand with altitude of 1360m and Kashmar with altitude of 1000m above sea level were collected and dried in the same conditions and compared with commercial samples. Three major metabolites (crocin, picrocrocin and safranal) were quantified in both altitudes by Spectrophotometry. The results obtained showed that saffron samples from Marand had the most amounts of crocin and picrocrocin (absorbance: 306 and 118). Also, after extraction, antioxidant activity was quantified by the DPPH free radical scavenging method. The results indicated that saffron samples from Marand had higher concentration of these constituents and antioxidant activity in comparison to that of samples from Kashmar. However, due to reduction of rain and increasing drought in the Azerbaijan region, cultivation of saffron in Marand is recommended on the basis of the results of this research and high yield and quality of saffron.
Agriculture
Somayeh Heydari; Maryam Khalili
Abstract
The main component responsible for color in saffron is crocin with the chemical formula of C44H64O24. Crocin is one of several carotenoids in nature that is soluble in water. This solubility is one of the reasons for its widespread usage as a colorant in food and medicine compared to other carotenoids. ...
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The main component responsible for color in saffron is crocin with the chemical formula of C44H64O24. Crocin is one of several carotenoids in nature that is soluble in water. This solubility is one of the reasons for its widespread usage as a colorant in food and medicine compared to other carotenoids. The coloring strength of saffron is one of the major factors that determine the quality of the saffron stigma. It will be evaluated with measuring of crocin. Microextraction is the newest and easiest method that can be successfully applied for the preconcentration and separation of crocin in saffron samples. The advantages of this method are faster, cheaper and easier analysis by UV-Vis spectrophotometry in measurement of crocin compared to the chromatographic analysis methods. The studies showed that the type and volume of disperser and extractant solvent have a significant effect on the efficiency of crocin extraction. In this work, acetone as the disperser solvent and dichlorometane as the extractant solvent were found to be suitable combinations. Under the optimal conditions, the calibration curve was linear in the range of 0.15-0.00001 μg mL-1 and the limit of detection (LOD) was calculated based on 3 Sb/m (where, Sb and m are the standard deviation of the blank and slop ratio of the calibration curve respectively) was 0.000008 μg mL-1. The procedure was applied to saffron samples and the good recovery percent for the saffron samples was obtained.
