Effects of Bed Type, Corm Weight and Lifting Time on Quantitative and Qualitative Criteria of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.)

Document Type : Scientific - Research

Authors

• Abdollah Mollafiilabi ¹
• Alireza Koocheki ²
• Parviz Rezvani Moghaddam ²
• Mehdi Nassiri Mahallati ²

¹ Department of Food Biotechnology, Research Institute of Food Science and Technology, Mashhad, Iran

² Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

10.22067/jag.v9i3.26955

Abstract

Introduction
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) as the most important medicinal and agricultural crop of the world has therapeutic properties including laxative, stomach stimulant, anti cancer, anti inflammation and against spasm. One of the reasons of lower yield in traditional farms of Iran is using small corms of old farms. Combining the date of corm lifting and the duration of 25°C incubation, corms could be flowered from early September to mid-December. The results showed that corm weight of saffron affects significantly on flowering and yield. Soils covered by mulch or surface mulch compared with soils lack of mulch have a higher thermal adjustment so that in higher ambient temperature the soil can be warm later and at night they lose their warmth later. This research was conducted to find the effects of corm weight, planting beds under hydroponics at commercial level and determination of the best time of corm lifting from farm and its transfer for production and their interaction under controlled conditions on yield and other characters of this precious crop.

Material and Methods
In order to study effects of corm weight and time of its lifting from farm in planting beds an experiment was conducted as factorial in the form of RCBD in three replicates at the agric. Research complex of Fadak and Research Institute of Food Science and Technology (RIFST) in 2010. Factors under study were: two corm weights (8 to 10 and more than 10 g), two planting beds (stone wool and peat moss) and six lifting times (mid June, early July, mid July, early August , mid August and early October). For 40 days, 457 corms per m-2 were stored in incubation with 85% relative humidity and 25°C temperature at the darkness. Then, saffron corms were transferred in growth chamber with 17° C in 8/16 h light and dark. Characteristics such as number of flower, fresh weight of flower, dry weight of flower, fresh and dry weight of stigma, fresh and dry weight of style, fresh and dry weight of stigma+style and Picrocrocin, Safronal and Crocin contents of saffron were measured. Statistical analysis of data was conducted by SAS 9.1 and mean comparisons by Duncan’s multiple range test at 5%.

Results and Discussion
Results showed that the corm weight, bed type and time of corm lifting were significant effects on economical yield of saffron such as picked flowers, dry weight of stigma and fresh weight of flowers. The highest saffron economical yield was obtained in interaction of corm weight, 10 g, peat moss and lifting time in mid June as much as 5.2 g.m-2. This yield is 11 fold of average yield of Iranian forms. Growth period of all treatments was in the limit of 115 to 120 days from the time of lifting corms from the soil up to end of flowering except to the treatment corm in the late august with respect to the waiting time of 30 days in the room of flower formation was not able to flower. Incubation period of all treatments was determined as 90 days. Picrocrocin, Safranal ad Crocin contents in peat moss under controlled conditions was graded as excellent thread compared with National Standard of 259-2. Results obtained are corresponded with other researchers.

Conclusion
It is concluded that the highest saffron economical yield was obtained in interaction of corm weight, 10 g, peat moss and lifting time in mid June as much as 5.2 g.m-2 that is recommended to farmers to apply to increase saffron yield under controlled conditions as much as possible. It seems that time of lifting corms from the soil in addition to effect of temperature through moisture availability, has affected on flowering period of saffron.

Keywords

• Corm density
• Dry stigma
• Safranal- flowering
• Yield saffron

---

References

Abdullaer, F., and Espinosa-Agirre, J.J. 2004. Biomedical properties of saffron and its potential use in cancer therapy and chemoprevention trials cancer detection and prevention. Cancer Detection and Prevention 23: 426-432.

Abrishami, M. 2004. Knowing Iran’s Saffron. Tosan Press, Tehran, Iran. (In Persian)

Badiyala, D., and Soroeh, K. 1997. Effect of seed corm size and planting geometry on saffron (Crocus sativus L.) under dry temperate conditions of Himachal Pradesh. Iranian Journal of Perfumer 41: 147-169.

De Mastor, G., and Ruta, C. 1993. Relation between corm size and saffron (Crocus sativus L.) flowering. Acta Horticulture 344: 512-517.

Gioccio, M. 2004. Crocetin from saffron: an active component of an ancient spice. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 44: 155-172.

Guler, H.G., Olympios, C., and Gerasopoulos, D. 1995. The effect on the fruit quality of hydroponically grown melons (Cucumis melo L.). Acta Horticulturae 379: 261-295.

Helalbeigi, Y., Khoshgoftarmanesh, A.H., Shamsi, F., and Zamani, N. 2009. Possibility of saffron corm growth in different bed of cultivation in soillers system. Proceedings of 1st Congress of Hydroponic in Greenhouse Production. Isfahan University of Technology, Iran. (In Persian with English Summary)

Hemmati Kakhki, A. 2003. A review on 15 years saffron Research. Khorasan Research Institute For food Science and Technology, Mashhad, Iran 125 pp. (In Persian)

Kafi, M., Rashed Mohassel, M.H., Koocheki, A., and Mollafilabi, A. 2002. Saffron, Technology. Cultivation and Processing. Center of Excellence for Special Crops. Ferdowsi University of Mashhad Press, Iran. (In Persian)

Kaushal, S.K., and Upaadhyay, R.G. 2002. Studies on variation in corm size and effect on corm production and flowering in saffron (Crocus sativus L.) under mid-hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh. Research on Crops 3: 126-128.

Koocheki, A., Tabrizi, L., Jahani, M., and Mohammad Abadi, A.A. 2011. The effect of high density and depth of planting on agronomic characteristic of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) and corms behavior. Agroecology 3: 36-40. (In Persian with English Summary)

Koocheki, A. 2004. Indigenous knowledge in agriculture with particular reference to saffron production in Iran. Acta Horticulturae 650: 175-182.

Kumar, R., Virendra, S., Kiran, D., Sharma, M., Singh, M.K., and Ahuya, P.S. 2009. State of art saffron (Crocus sativus L.) agronomy, a comprehensive review. Food Reviews International 25: 44-85.

Mana, K.R. 2003. Growing saffron-the world’s most expensive spice. New Zealand Institute for Crop and Food Research Ltd A Crown Research Institute.

Mashayekhi, K., Soltani, A., and Kamkar, B. 2006. The relationship between corm weight and total flower numbers in saffron. Proceeding of the 2nd International Symposium on Saffron Biology and Technology. Mashhad, Iran. 28-30 October p. 93-96.

Molina, R.V., Valero, M., Navarro, y., Garcia- Luis, A., and Guardiola, J.L. 2004. The effect of time of corm lifting and duration of incubation at inductive temperature of flowering in the saffron plant (Crocus sativus L.). Scientia Horticulturae 103: 79-91.

Molina, R.V., Valero, M., Navarro, y., Garcia- Luis, A., and Guardiola, J.L. 2005. Temperature effects on flower formation in saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Scientia Horticulturae 103: 361-379.

Molina, R.V., Renav-morata, B., Nebauer, S.G., Garcia- Luis, A., and Guardiola, J.L. 2010. Green gouse saffron culture- temperature effects on flower emergence and vegetative growth the plants. Acta Horticulturae 850: 91-94.

Nassiri Mahallati, M., Koochecki, A., Boroumand Rezazade, Z., and Tabrizi, L. 2008. Effect of corm size and storage period on allocation of assimilates in different parts of saffron plant (Crocus sativus L.). Iranian Journal of Field Crops Research 5(1): 155-166. (In Persian with English Summary)

Negbi, M. 1999. Saffron cultivation: past. Present and future prospects. In: Negbi, M. (Ed). Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) Harwood Academic Publishers, Ausralia pp. 1-18.

Omidbaigi, R., Betti, G., Sadeghi, B., and Ramezani, A. 2002. Influence of the bulb weight on the productivity of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) results of a cultivation study in Khorasan (Iran). Journal of Medicinal and Spice Plant 7: 38- 40. (In Persian with English Summary)

Pandy, D., and Srivastava, R.P. 1979. A not on the effect of size of corms on the sprouting and flowering of saffron. Progressive Horticulturae 6: 89-92.

Papadopoulos, A.P., Hao, X., Tu, J.C., and Zhang, J. 1999. Tomato production in open or closed rock wool culture system. Acta Horticulturae 481.

Poggi, L.M., Portela, A.Y., Pontin, M.A., and Molina, R.V. 2010. Corm size and incubation effects on time to flowering and threads yield and quality in saffron production in Argentina. Acta Horticulturae 850: 193-198.

Rashed Mohassel, M.H., Hemmati Kakhki, A., Bagheri, A.R., and Sadeghi, B. 1991. The mission report of Iranian Experts to Spain. I.R.O.S.T. Mashhad Center. Mashhad, Iran. (In Persian)

Sadeghi, B. 1993. Effect of corm weight on saffron flowering. I.R.O.S.T. Mashhad Center. Mashhad, Iran. (In Persian)

Sadeghi, B. 1996. Effects of storage and planting date on flower production saffron. Annual Report of Scientific and Industrial Research organization of Khorasan, Mashhad, Iran. (In Persian)

Sadeghi, B. 2008. Fundamentals of sustainable cultivation of Iranian saffron. Publication of Khorasan- Razavi, Department of Jihad Agriculture, Mashhad, Iran 26 pp. (In Persian)

Savvas, D. 2003. Hydroponics: a modern technology supporting the application of integrated crop management in greenhouse. Journal of Food Agriculture and Environment 1: 80-86.

Schwas, M. 1994. Soilless Culture Management. Springer Vera Lag. Germany.

Singh, C., Ram, G., and Kaul, B.L. 1994. Saffron studies in Kishtwar: effect of corm size at planting on control production and flower yield in Saffron (Crocus sativus L.). Indian Perfumer 38: 82-84.

Xi, L., Aian, Z., Xu, G., Zheng, S.H., Sun, S., Wen, N., Sheng, L., Shi, Y., and Zhang, X. 2007. Beneficial impact of concern, a Carotenoid from saffron, on insulin sensitivity in fructose-fed rats. Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 18: 64-72.