Evaluation of growth charachteristics and yield of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) by application of organic planting beds and different sowing methods

In order to evaluate the effects of planting beds and methods on vegetative and reproductive characteristics of saffron، a field experiment was conducted as factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the Agricultural Research Station، Ferdowsi University of Mashhad، during two growing seasons of 2009-2010 and 2010-2011. Treatments consisted of five planting beds including leaf mould، mushroom compost، municipal waste compost، cow manure and bean stover (5 t ha-1 for each one) and two sowing methods of row and mass planting. Criteria such as leaf and tunic dry weight، leaf length، corm diameter، number of daughter corm، number and weight of corm in each weight categories (2-4، 4-8 and 8-16 g)، flower number، flower fresh weight and stigma dry weight were measured. Results indicated that simple effects of planting bed and sowing method significantly affected all measured criteria during two years of experiment. The highest stigma weight obtained by application of cow manure (around 0. 7 and 0. 8 kg. ha-1) in the first and second years، respectively and using leaf mould (0. 5 and 0. 6 kg ha-1) caused the lowest stigma weight in the first and second years، respectively. Mass planting at the first and second years enhanced stigma yield up to 13 and 10% compared with row planting، respectively. Interaction effects of different planting beds and methods on corm diameter، number of daughter corm، number and weight of corm in each weight categories showed significant effect in which these criteria were improved by application of cow manure in mass planting method.