Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 - M.Sc. Student in Medicinal Plants, Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran.
2 university of Birjand
Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the effect of sheep manure and sulfur on biochemical traits and active ingredients of saffron during 2019-2020 in the Sarayan region in a factorial manner and a randomized complete block design with three replications. Experimental treatments included sheep manure at four levels (0, 20, 40, and 60 t. ha-1) and sulfur at three levels (0, 200, and 400 kg. ha-1). The results showed that sheep manure and sulfur were significant on the biochemical characteristics of stigma (antioxidant, phenol, and anthocyanin), effective substances of stigma (picrocrocin, crocin, and safranal), and biochemical characteristics of leaves (chlorophyll a, b, total, and carotenoid) of saffron. The treatment of 60 t. ha-1 of sheep manure has the highest amount of antioxidants (30.46%), phenol (62.52 mg. 100 g dry weight-1), anthocyanin (33.41 mg. 100 g dry weight-1), picrocrocin (33.00 absorption of 1% aqueous solution at 257 nm), crocin (285.667 absorption of 1% aqueous solution at 440 nm), safranal (34.56 absorption of 1% aqueous solution at 330 nm) and chlorophyll b (0.048 mg. g fresh weight-1). With a consumption of 400 kg. ha-1 of sulfur, antioxidant 12.31%, phenol 0.35%, anthocyanin 31.56%, picrocrocin 30.95%, crocin 48.48%, safranal 11.23%, chlorophyll a 16.80%, Chlorophyll b 8.33% and carotenoid 16.14% increase compared to the control. Also, the highest amount of phenol (62.73 mg. 100 g dry weight-1), anthocyanin (29.63 mg. 100 g dry weight-1), crocin (287.33 absorption of one percent aqueous solution at 440 nm), safranal (38.81 absorption of one percent aqueous solution at 330 nm), total chlorophyll (1.026 mg. g fresh weight-1) and carotenoid (1.026 mg. g fresh weight-1) at the level of 60 t. ha-1 of sheep manure and 400 kg. ha-1 sulfur was obtained. In general, the results showed that sheep manure and sulfur had a positive effect on biochemical traits a
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