The Effect of Culture Depth and Type of Substrate on Flowering and Production of Saffron Corm (Crocus sativus L.)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 PhD Graguate, Department of Horticulture and Green Space Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Horticulture and Green Space Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

3 MSc Graguate, Department of Horticulture and Green Space Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a high-value medicinal and culinary crop, whose productivity depends largely on optimal floral yield and efficient daughter corm production. Growth substrate and planting depth are among the most influential agronomic factors affecting flowering, corm development, and the accumulation of key secondary metabolites such as crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal. Organic amendments including mushroom compost and vermicompost have recently attracted attention for their ability to improve soil structure, nutrient availability, and root growth. Despite this interest, limited studies have examined the combined effects of substrate composition and planting depth on saffron performance. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate how different organic substrates and two planting depths influence flower yield, daughter corm traits, and biochemical quality in saffron over two consecutive growing seasons.
 
Material and methods: This study was conducted over two consecutive growing seasons (2019–2020 and 2020–2021) at the Horticultural Science Research Orchard of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad to evaluate the effects of planting depth and growth substrate on flower and daughter corm production in saffron (Crocus sativus L.). The experiment was arranged as a factorial based on a completely randomized design with four replications under pot conditions. Treatments consisted of two planting depths (10 and 20 cm) and five substrate compositions, including 60 t ha⁻¹ of farmyard manure, 20 t ha⁻¹ of mushroom compost, 20 t ha⁻¹ of pine leaf compost, 10 t ha⁻¹ of vermicompost, and native soil as the control.
 
Results and discussion: The results revealed that substrates containing mushroom compost and vermicompost produced the highest number of flowers. Dry flower weight, as well as fresh and dry stigma weight, were significantly greater in the mushroom-compost substrate compared with the other treatments, whereas the lowest values were recorded in the control soil. The results indicate that the interaction effect of year and planting depth had a significant impact on the number of saffron flowers produced. In the second year, the number of flowers in plants cultivated at a depth of 10 cm was 20.4% higher than in plants cultivated at a depth of 20 cm. This finding highlights the advantage of shallower planting depths under specific climatic conditions, leading to reduced environmental stress and improved growth conditions in the second year. Furthermore, the number of daughter corms in the vermicompost medium at depths of 20 cm and 10 cm increased by 2.8 and 3.4 times, respectively, compared to the control soil at the same depths. This significant increase in the number of daughter corms may be attributed to the improved physical and chemical properties of the vermicompost medium, which contributes to better nutrient supply and moisture retention. Regarding the diameter of daughter corms, the results showed that in the treatments involving a planting depth of 20 cm, the corm diameter in the mushroom compost, vermicompost, and animal manure treatments was 35%, 35%, and 29.3% greater, respectively, than in the control soil at the same depth. The concentrations of safranal, crocin, and picrocrocin in the harvested flowers were significantly higher in the second year compared with the first. In addition, these biochemical traits were enhanced in corms planted at 10 cm relative to 20 cm, with the highest contents consistently observed in the vermicompost substrate. Overall, across both experimental years, a planting depth of 10 cm proved more suitable for maximizing flower production, whereas a depth of 20 cm was superior for daughter corm development. Vermicompost and mushroom compost substrates appeared to be the most favorable media for improving both floral yield and daughter corm characteristics in saffron cultivation. The superior flower yield in mushroom compost and vermicompost substrates indicates that improved nutrient availability and aeration play a central role in promoting floral induction in saffron. The greater flower number at the 10-cm planting depth, especially in the second year, suggests that shallower planting enhances sprouting and resource allocation to flowers. In contrast, the higher number and larger size of daughter corms at the 20-cm depth reflect the benefits of a more stable and moist microenvironment for corm development. Increased crocin, picrocrocin, and safranal levels in the second year and at shallower depth highlight the influence of plant maturity and environmental conditions on metabolite synthesis. 
 
Conclusion: Overall, vermicompost and mushroom compost, when combined with a
10 cm depth for flower production and a 20-cm depth for corm formation, offer optimal conditions for saffron cultivation.

Keywords

References

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