Somayeh Rahimi Daghi; Sohrab Mahmoodi; Mohammad Reza Beakhshi; Mohammad Hasan Sayyari
Abstract
In order to investigate the effects of farm age and region type on yield and soil chemical properties of saffron fields in Birjand county, an experiment was carry out as by using regrasion analysis and variance analysis factorial layout with 9 replications in birjand during growing season of 2011-2012. ...
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In order to investigate the effects of farm age and region type on yield and soil chemical properties of saffron fields in Birjand county, an experiment was carry out as by using regrasion analysis and variance analysis factorial layout with 9 replications in birjand during growing season of 2011-2012. The factors were included three farm ages (two, four and six years old) and three region types (Shams abad, Behdan and Mahmuei). Soil characteristics such as organic matter, electrical conductivity (EC), pH, absorbable P and K, percent of lime and total N were measured at each region and their effects on stigma yield of saffron were evaluated. The results showed that the age of saffron farms had significant effect on chemical properties of soil (except on lime and potassium percentage). The saffron stigma yield and soil properties were affected significantly by regions. A significant relationship was also observed between farm age and saffron stigma yield in all studied regions. Stigma yield of saffron increased (300, 233 and 246 percent for Mahmouei, Shamsabad and Behdan, respectively) when farms age was increased to four years. After this age, saffron yield was decresed up to 50, 48 and 54 percent at the same locations, respectively. The results indicated that soil chemical characteristics were different in studied regions and it along with farm age had significant effect on yield of saffron fields in Birjand county.
Fatemeh Pour Salehi; Abbas Khashei Siuki; Zahra Bidokhti
Abstract
Agricultural in economies of developing countries especially Iran has an effective role. For having sustainable sources in agriculture choose a suitable cropping patterns in which besides the maximize income condition for farmers has essential role in appropriate use of resources. Saffron is an Iranian ...
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Agricultural in economies of developing countries especially Iran has an effective role. For having sustainable sources in agriculture choose a suitable cropping patterns in which besides the maximize income condition for farmers has essential role in appropriate use of resources. Saffron is an Iranian valuable export products that is produced in arid and semi arid areas of south of Khorasan (about 95 percent) and is cultivated in some parts of country. The plenty economic value of saffron in global markets and jobs and appropriate income that grow this crop has followed, substantial economic returns has created for this product. This study with the purposes for development of saffron emphasizing in the value of virtual water was performed in Birjand. For this purpose initially amount of virtual water and its value using information such as water requirement, yield and crop price in two cases exports and imports for eight products cotton, jujube, saffron, wheat, tomatoes, melons, onions, and alfalfa were calculated and then optimal cultivation of each crop was estimated by using linear programming model Lingo. Two scenarios were also defined that in the first scenario, the area under crops was limited to 1.5 times for the existing level and this limitation was removed in the second scenario. Results of virtual water for two scenarios showed that saffron cultivation in Birjand were created high income equivalent to 4676.26 million Rials compared to other seven products, priority on cultivation. Under cultivation surface is obtained equivalent to 2010 ha for the first scenario and 12188.65 ha for the second scenario compared with existing area under cultivation (1340 ha) has significantly increased.
Hamid Reza Fallahi; Saeid Alami; Mohammad Ali Behdani; Mahsa Aghhavani Shajari
Abstract
The linkage between results of research studies and local knowledge of saffron cultivation is a useful method for decreasing saffron gap yield. Therefore, in this research the traditional knowledge of saffron cultivation was studied by interview and completing questionnaires in Sarayan, Iran during year ...
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The linkage between results of research studies and local knowledge of saffron cultivation is a useful method for decreasing saffron gap yield. Therefore, in this research the traditional knowledge of saffron cultivation was studied by interview and completing questionnaires in Sarayan, Iran during year of 2013. Results showed that contrary to the results of scientific research, saffron mostly was planted in 6 September to 6 October (73%) by local farmers. The most farmers have believed that the planting of saffron in a loamy soil (84%), use of corm with more than 8 g (56%), planting density of 95-100 corms.m-2 (86%), planting depth of 20 cm (70%) and planting pattern of 20×20 cm are useful agronomical methods for saffron production. For most of these indices a good relationship was observed between indigenous and scientific knowledge, although more attention should be paid to corm size, planting method and density and its relation with the farm exploitation year’s number. Moreover, the most saffron producer said that the use of manure (42%) or manure + chemical fertilizers (56%), five irrigations during saffron growth (45%), crust-breaking after first irrigation (100%) and weeds control (100%) are suitable ways in saffron cultivation. It seems that the more use of manure and increasing irrigation times especially in years with low rainfall are suitable options for yield improvement. Therewith, most interviewed farmers know unsuitable summer irrigation, low rainfall during winter and hot summers for saffron flowering. Overall, some conflicts observed between local and scientific methods of saffron cultivation therefore, use of promotion ways and more scientific researchs considering traditional views are essential.
Abdolreza Ahmadi; Jamshid Nazari Alam
Abstract
In order to evaluate the effects of biological and chemical fertilizer application and plant density on yield of saffron, an experiment was conducted in Alashtar county during year of 2013. In this experiment were evaluated two densities (4 and 5 corms t.ha-1) and 4 fertilixers including control, Nitroxin ...
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In order to evaluate the effects of biological and chemical fertilizer application and plant density on yield of saffron, an experiment was conducted in Alashtar county during year of 2013. In this experiment were evaluated two densities (4 and 5 corms t.ha-1) and 4 fertilixers including control, Nitroxin biofertilizer, NPK and Nitroxin biofertilizer+ NPK as split plot based on a randomized complete block design. Results indicated that density had significant effect on number of flower and dried weight of stigma and flower. Increasing in density from 4 to 5 t.ha-1 corms improved number of flowe, dried flower weight, dried stigma weight up to 48, 87 and 82%, respectively. The maximum dry weight of stigma (over 30 kg.ha-1) was observed in 5 ton corms.ha-1. Also, the effect of fertilizer was significant on number of flowers, dry weight of flowers, stigma and corm yield of saffron (p≤0.05). The highest number of flower, dry weight, dry weight stigma of saffron (more than three g.m-2) were related to Nitroxinbiofertilizer+ NPK. The maximum dry weight of flower and stigma yield was observed in 5 ton corms.ha-1. Overal, application biofertilizer and NPK increased quantitative yield of saffron. Nitroxin inoculation could be reducing consumption of chemical fertilizers, which is a move towards sustainable agriculture and decline environmental pollutions.
Sadegh Asghari Lafmejani; Mahdi Masoumi Jeshni; Nasibe Hosseini
Abstract
Nowadays, a big proportion of incomes of non-oil exports are obtained through the agriculture section.Moreover, this section has a comparative advantage over other sections due to its high employment, not requiring high-tech in various stages of production and less need to foreign exchange. Meanwhile, ...
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Nowadays, a big proportion of incomes of non-oil exports are obtained through the agriculture section.Moreover, this section has a comparative advantage over other sections due to its high employment, not requiring high-tech in various stages of production and less need to foreign exchange. Meanwhile, saffron as the most expensive agricultural and medicinal product of the world with high revenue–generation compared to other agricultural products plays a crucial role in the livelihoods of rural households. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to assess the status of saffron production and its role in the livelihoods of rural households of Bajestan Township. This research has employed a descriptive-analytical method and its related field studies have taken place in two levels of village and households and the status of production and the role of saffron in livelihoods of 358 households residing in 17 villages with a population of over 20 households as selected samples are investigated. In order to reach these goals, a wide range of economic, social and environmental indicators matched with the situations in the target villages were identified. Also, gathering of data in the sample villages and households is done based on the selected indices and through questionnaires. To analyze the data, the softwares of expert choice, SPSS, ArcGIS and the AHP model were used. The results show that revenues obtained from saffron production is more than other revenues in 29 percent of the target households. Moreover the results of the study show that the final yield has been increased during the last 10 years among 46.7% of these households and has been declined or not changed during this period of time among the other households.
Rayhaneh Asgarpour; Mohammad Khajeh-Hosseini; Surur Khorramdel
Abstract
Allelopathy is the biochemical interaction of inhibition and promotion that have significant roles in research involving sustainable agriculture. In order to evaluate the allelopathic effects of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) corm and petal aqueous concentrations on germination characteristics and preliminary ...
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Allelopathy is the biochemical interaction of inhibition and promotion that have significant roles in research involving sustainable agriculture. In order to evaluate the allelopathic effects of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) corm and petal aqueous concentrations on germination characteristics and preliminary growth of three weed species including redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), whitetop (Cardaria draba L.) and flixweed (Descurainia sophia L.), an experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized design with four replications at Special Crop Laboratory, College of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during 2010. Treatments included aqueous concentrations of saffron corm (C) and petal (P) at 25, 50 and 100%. Distilled water was used as control. Studied traits were final germination percentage (FGP), mean germination time (MGT), germination rate (GR), cumulative germination, radicle and plumule lengths, radicle to plumule length ratio and fresh weight of seedling for three weed species. Results showed that the corm and petal extracts had significant effects on FGP, GR, MGT, radicle and plumule lengths and seedling fresh weight of seedling for three weed species. P100 and C100 had the most potent inhibitory effect on FGP. By increasing in concentration enhanced MGT and decreased redicle length for three weed species. Also, inhibitory effect of aqueous extract on radicle growth was more than plumule. C25 had a stimulatory effect on plumule length of three weed species. C100 and P100 were reduced plumule length of weeds with 11.8-22.3 and 16.7-39.4 percent compared to control, respectively. Seedling fresh weight of whitetop and flixweed were increased in C25 compared to the control, but other treatments reduced weed seedling fresh weight.