Effect of biological and chemical fertilizers on replacement corm and flower yield of saffron (Crocus sativus L.)

To investigate the effect of organic, biological and chemical fertilizers on flower and corm yield of saffron, a field experiment was conducted in 2010-2011 and 2011- 2012 at faculty of agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran, using complete randomized block design with seven treatments and three replications. The experimental treatments included: 1) Glomus mosseae, 2) Glomus intraradices, 3) manure 60 t.ha-1 + G. mosseae, 4) manure 60 t.ha-1 + G. intraradices, 5) Dalfard chemical fertilizer, 6) Bioaminopalis biofertilizer and 7) no application of fertilizer as control. Analysis of variance showed that fertilizer treatments had significant effect on number and yield of corm. Results also revealed that application of 60 t.ha-1 manure + G. intraradices and Dalfard chemical fertilizer had the highest effect on increasing total corm yield (by 35 and 46%, respectively). In the second year, 60 t.ha-1 manure + G. intraradices and Dalfard chemical fertilizer had significantly greater effect on flower.m-2 (by 70 and 45%, respectively) as compared to control treatment. However, in the first and the second years, effects of G. mosseae and G. intraradices were not significant on increasing dry flower and corm yields of saffron. It can be concluded that low efficiency of biofertilizers is influenced by low organic matter in the soil.