An spatial zoning of Saffron cultivation based on climatic factors using hierarchical analysis process method (Case Study: Torbate Hydariyeh City)

Between of effective factors in agricultural crops production، climatic conditions is an important task from the view of environmental variables. On the other hand the basic in agricultural development is having detailed knowledge of the environmental characteristics in any place and applying specific management. Saffron as the world''s most valuable agricultural and medicinal product is among the plants that has acquired a significant role in the economic and social conditions of arid and semi-arid areas of Southern and Central Khorasan. Thereafter، this study with purpose of climatic conditions evaluation for Saffron cultivation in Torbate Heidariyeh City was conducted. For this reason، climatic data of 10 meteorological stations in the province was selected and with the help of Arc GIS software environment، the modeling and spatial analysis of information was conducted. using of suitable climatic conditions in different growth stages of Saffron، information layers were classified and the value of the maps was determined. Finally for the integrating of information layers using multi-criteria decision-making methods were used based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)، climatic potential map of Saffron cultivation in Torbate Heidariyeh City was prepared. The results of the study showed that the effect of rainfall، temperature and solar radiation climatic factors، appropriate the different growth stages، in each region is different and from the total 9570. 2071 sq kms area of the Torbate Hidariyeh city according to Saffron cultivation zoning، 6% has a very good quality، 56% of the area has a good quality، 28% has relative conditions for cultivation، 8. 5% has poor and 1. 5% of the area has a quite unsuitable quality for the cultivation of Saffron.