Estimation of saffron yield using RDI drought index (Case study: South Khorasan Province)

doi:10.22077/jsr.2017.621.1023

Document Type : Original Article

https://doi.org/10.22077/jsr.2017.621.1023

Abstract

Drought is a natural disaster and repeatable that influencing all climates, but the frequency of its occurrence is more in arid and semi-arid country. Due to water scarcity and the non-structural damages caused by drought, a system of continuous surveillance on the phenomenon, drought monitoring, is inevitable. Drought indices are used for monitoring and decreasing the effects of drought. Among the indicators can be mention to Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI). Therefore, due to dry weather conditions in South Khorasan province and its undeniable role in the production of saffron, in this paper, the relationship between saffron yield and RDI index was studied in four prone cities for production and cultivation of saffron. In this regard, RDI index of 3 month in the period 1989-2014 (25 years) calculated in synoptic stations of Birjand, Qaen, Ferdows and Nehbandan and then comparing with the yeild, regression equation between drought index of each month and yield was determined. Regression analysis and the getting results, in addition to confirming the existence of the relationship between the RDI index of saffron yield confirmed this point that the drought index of February, March, April months in Birjand and Qaen; February in Ferdows and months of January, February, March in Nehbandan were effective on saffron yield. The extreme drought occurred in Birjand and Qaen in years 2000-2001, 25 years under study, and in Ferdows and Nehbandan in the years 1999-2000 so that moderate drought (normal) has the most continuity in all the studied stations and its occurrence is Imminent each three years once.

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