Determining an appropriate integrated nutrition system for saffron (Crocus sativus L.) cultivation as affected by maternal corm weight

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the response of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) to nutrient resources and maternal corm weights. Research method: The experiment was conducted as a split-plot based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The main plots included four integrated nutrition programs (NP۰: control (without fertilization); NP۱: cow manure, amino acids, humic acid; NP۲: slaughterhouse waste, mono-potassium phosphate, humic acid, mix (macro-micro) fertilizer; and NP۳: poultry manure, ammonium nitrate, humic acid, amino acid, hormone biofertilizer, NP fertilizer, micronutrients) and the subplots included three maternal corm weights (CW۱: ۴-۸, CW۲: ۸-۱۲, and CW۳: ۱۲-۱۶ g). Findings: The difference between the experimental treatments in terms of the effect on the studied traits of saffron was more significant in the second year than in the first year of the experiment. The NP۳ treatment resulted in the highest values of the flower number (۸۵.۶), fresh and dry flower yield (۲۸.۲۱ and ۵.۴۸ g m-۲, respectively), and fresh and dry stigma yield (۳.۳۵ and ۰.۶۷ g m-۲, respectively). Also, planting the heaviest corms led to the highest values of the mentioned traits (۷۹.۹, ۲۴.۵۷, ۴.۸۵, ۲.۹۰, and ۰.۵۸ g m-۲, respectively). The highest value of corm number (۳۱۲.۱), corm diameter (۴.۲۷ cm), corm weight (۶.۸۶ g), and corm yield (۱۵۶۲.۴ g m-۲) belonged to the NP۳ treatment. The CW۳ treatment obtained the highest values of the mentioned traits (۳۲۲.۷, ۳.۷۲ cm, ۶.۸۷ g, and ۱۴۷۶.۵ g m-۲, respectively). Furthermore, the highest dry stigma water productivity (۱.۹۴۲ g m-۳) and corm water productivity (۴.۴۵ kg m-۳) were found under the NP۳ treatment. Also, the highest value of the mentioned traits (۱.۶۸۱ g m-۳ and ۴.۱۸ kg m-۳, respectively) was recorded in the CW۳ treatment. Research limitations: No limitations were identified. Originality/Value: The results of this research clearly show the profound importance of the characteristics of the maternal corms and the integrated nutrition in changes in saffron yield. Overall, we conclude that the NP۳CW۳ treatment is the best treatment for obtaining the highest values of saffron flower and corm indices as well as the stigma and corm water productivity.

کلیدواژه ها:

Corm indices ، Fertilization ، Flower indices ، stigma ، Water productivity