Evaluating Research Directions and Identifying Research Gaps and Emerging New Topics in Iranian National Conferences of Saffron

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Associate Professor, Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand, Iran. Plant and Environmental Stresses Research Group, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran.

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor, Research Institute of Food Science and Technology, Mashhad, Iran; and Guest Researcher, Saffron Institute, University of Torbat Heydarieh, Torbat Heydarieh, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Saffron is considered as a strategic crop for Iran due to its food, cosmetic, health and medicinal uses, high economic value and adaptability to the arid climatic conditions. Accordingly, seven national conferences on saffron, have been held in Iran, from 1988. So far, no bibliometric study has been conducted with the aim of qualitatively examining and identifying the research directions of Iranian national saffron conferences. Accordingly, the aim of this study was identifying the research topics, being aware of research gaps and providing a way for future research based on information presented in the past saffron conferences.
 
Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, the research trend was evaluated during the seven sessions of the Iranian National Conference of Saffron. The first of them was held in Qaen in 1988 and the last one was held in Birjand in 2024. Research topics were divided into eight main axes, 17 branches, and 98 subgroups. Articles that examined more than one research topic were attributed to all relevant subgroups.
 
Results and Discussion: Based on the results of eight main research axes, out of 601 articles presented at seven sessions of the national conferences of saffron, 236 articles (39.3%) dealt with the subject of production and cultivation, 90 articles (14.9%) with saffron uses and applications, 77 articles (12.8%) with harvesting and post-harvest issues, 73 articles (12.1%) with economic issues, 55 articles (9.1%) with genetics, breeding and biotechnology, 24 articles (0.4%) with pests and diseases, 19 articles (3.2%) with mechanization and 27 articles (4.5%) with other topics. In all these research topics, the largest number of articles was published in the 7th conference. In the last session of the conference, the topics of medical applications, biotechnology and breeding, as well as saffron compounds, have received more attention, so that out of 64, 55 and 11 articles dedicated to this topic in all conferences, 28 (43.7%), 30 (54.5%) and 7 (63.6%) articles were presented in the 7th conference, respectively. New technologies have received special attention from researchers since the 5th conference and have received the largest number of articles (21 articles out of a total of 31 articles, equivalent to 67.8%) in the 7th conference. Among the post harvest issues, the two topics of stigma drying method and identification of fraud and determination of product authenticity have received more attention from researchers in the last session of the conference, and about 50% of the total number of articles on these topics have been presented in this session. Regarding the topic of climate change and organic production, 17 and 9 articles have been published in the total national saffron conferences, respectively, of which 12 and 6 (70.6 and 66.7 %, respectively) are related to the 7th conference. Among the topics related to mechanization, the most attention in all conferences has been paid to mechanized stigma separation. Regarding nutritional management of saffron, 104 articles have been published independently or in combination with other topics (17.3 % of the total articles), of which 49 (47.1 %) were presented in the 7th conference, and among them, the use of new sources of fertilizer and foliar application of nutreints has received more attention in recent years. Of the 45 articles published on irrigation management, 28 (62.2 %) were presented in the last conference, and in recent years, more attention has been paid to the topics of water quality, water requirement, and irrigation methods. The topic of saffron disease identification and management has received 12 papers in all conferences so far, 10 of which (83.3%) were presented in the 7th conference. The most important ecological and agronomic issues that have recently received more attention include the effect of climatic factors on saffron, the allelopathic effects of saffron, crop rotation, pretreatment of corms with growth hormones, and the most important issues that have been considered in most conferences include corm weight and planting density. Some agronomic issues such as planting date, corm planting bed, corm specific propagation, corm storage conditions, and soil physical properties have received less attention from researchers. Indigenous knowledge and agrotourism are also among the issues that, although they have recently received more attention from researchers, have not yet been sufficiently researched.
 
Conclusion: Although numerous researches have been conducted on saffron agronomic issues, this trend should be continued and focused on creating innovation in research and studying less studied topics such as corm storage conditions, identifying optimal levels of nutrients, adaptation to climate change, and crop rotation. The topic of biotechnology has not received sufficient attention from saffron researchers, and research development in this issiue is necessary.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Saffron Research
Volume 14, Issue 1 - Serial Number 26
Issue in Progress
2026
Pages 1-33

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