Journal of Saffron Research (J Saffron Res) is a double-blind peer-reviewed semiannual journal published by University of Birjand ,established in 2013, accepts scholarly articles of archival value, original articles and critical reviews related to all fields of Saffron Research.
Journal Abbreviation: J Saffron Res
Journal Acronym: JSR
Print ISSN: 2345-3869
Electronic ISSN: 2383-1316
Editor-in-Chief: Mohammad Ali Behdani, Ph.D.
Saffron at a Glance
Saffron is one of the world’s oldest and most valuable spices, cherished for its color, aroma, and medicinal properties. Its history dates back more than 3,000 years, with origins commonly traced to ancient Persia, where it was cultivated for culinary, therapeutic, and ceremonial uses.
Over time, saffron spread to Greece, India, and the Mediterranean through trade routes, gaining a reputation as a luxury ingredient associated with royalty and healing traditions.
Saffron is a highly valuable spice derived from the dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L., a perennial plant belonging to the Iridaceae family. Each flower contains only three delicate red stigmas, which must be carefully hand-harvested and dried, making saffron the world’s most expensive spice by weight. Its distinctive aroma, deep golden color, and antioxidant-rich chemical composition have made saffron a prized ingredient in culinary, medicinal, and industrial applications for thousands of years.
Beyond its cultural significance, saffron remains important today due to its unique bioactive compounds, such as crocin, crocetin, and safranal, which contribute to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and mood-enhancing effects. These properties have made saffron a subject of modern pharmacological research and an increasingly valuable ingredient in cosmetics, nutraceuticals, and traditional medicine.
Historical Origins and Early Cultivation
Saffron has ancient origins, with historical and archaeological evidence indicating that it was first domesticated and cultivated in the Iranian plateau, particularly in regions corresponding to present-day Iran. References to saffron appear in early Persian texts, Achaemenid records, and classical Greek and Roman writings, where it was valued for its use in medicine, dyeing, perfumery, and ceremonial practices. Iran served as the primary center of saffron cultivation and trade throughout antiquity, shaping the cultural and economic significance of the crop.
Current Global Cultivation
Although saffron originated in Iran, its cultivation has expanded to several countries across different continents. Today, saffron is produced in:
Despite this diversification, Iran remains the global hub of saffron cultivation, research, and trade, with extensive scientific studies, traditional knowledge, and advanced agronomic practices dedicated to improving yield, quality, and processing.
Journal Aims and Scope
The Journal of Saffron Research (J Saffron Res), established in 2013, is a double-blind peer-reviewed semiannual journal, owned, managed & published by University of Birjand. The Journal of Saffron Research is dedicated to advancing high-quality research on Saffron (Crocus sativus) and all scientific, technological, agronomic, economic, and interdisciplinary aspects related to its cultivation, agriculture, processing, chemistry, biochemistry, biotechnology, pharmacology, genetics and plant, breeding, and also its application and usage in medicine, food industry and other products.
The journal welcomes original research articles, reviews, short communications, and interdisciplinary studies that contribute to the advancement of scientific and practical knowledge on saffron.
The journal aims to serve as a specialized platform for researchers, industry experts, and policymakers to disseminate innovative findings that support sustainable production, value-chain improvement, and evidence-based utilization of saffron worldwide.
Core areas of interest include, but are not limited to:
1. Agronomy, Cultivation & Production Systems
2. Genetics, Breeding & Biotechnology
3. Post-harvest Technology & Quality Assessment
4. Chemistry, Pharmacology & Biological Effects
5. Food Science, Processing & Industrial Applications
6. Sustainability, Climate Change & Socioeconomic Studies
Journal of Saffron Research is accredited by the Scientific Publications Commission of the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. The journal has been ranked as Grade A in the latest evaluation of science, research and technology.
Publisher
University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran.
Publisher Information
The Journal of Saffron Research is owned, managed and published by University of Birjand. and plays a significant role as an academic publisher both regionally and globally in the fields of research, innovation, and technology.
Language
The journal is published in Persian Fulltexts, provided with English abstracts also .
Publication Frequency
The Journal of Saffron Research is published Semiannually.
Policies
1. Open Access Policy
To make freely public accessibility to research with the aim of greater global exchange of knowledge, this journal provides open access to its published articles.
2. Copyright Notice
Authors of the published articles in this journal retain the copyright of their articles and will be able to archive pre-print, post-print, and publisher's versions.
All Articles published in the are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0).
3. Archiving
In addition to indexing database, this journal utilizes digital archive to guarantee long-term digital preservation and restoration. Some of them, can be find here.
Article Processing Charges (APC)
University of Birjand is supporting most of the publishing costs of the journal. So Article Processing Charge (APC) and any other publication fees in the journal are free for authors. There is NO APC charges for this journal.
Subscription
Journal of Saffron Research is published as an open access electronic journal, so there is no subscription fee for audiences.
Advertisements
According to Journal of Saffron Research & its publisher & owner, University of Birjand, we don't accept advertisement in any case.
Sources of Support
University of Birjand, Birjand, Iran.
Contact Information
Address: Journal of Saffron Research, Publications Office of the Faculty of Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand, Kilometer 5 of Kerman Road, Birjand, South Khorasan, Iran.
Phone: +98 (056) 32254041, +98 (0) 915 1659010
E-mail: srg.sj@birjand.ac.ir
"Journal of Saffron Research" is an open-access semiannual journal published by the Saffron Research Group of the University of Birjand in cooperation with the Iranian Society of Agricultural Sciences and Plant Breeding. This journal uses a double-blind peer-review policy to evaluate articles and publishes the results of fundamental (original) and applied research related to saffron in the fields of basic sciences, biotechnology, genetics and plant breeding, biochemistry, agriculture, medicine, food industry, etc.