Effect of Additive Intercropping Series of Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) with Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on Their Yield and Yield Components

In order to study the impact of additive intercropping series of cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) with saffron (Crocus sativus L.) on their yield and yield components, an experiment was conducted based on a complete block design with three replications at Agricultural Research Station, College of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during two growing seasons of 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. Additive intercropping series were 100% saffron% of optimum density of cumin, 100% saffron% of optimum density of cumin, 100% saffron% of optimum density of cumin, 100% saffron% of optimum density of cumin, 100% saffron흍% of optimum density of cumin and their monoculture. Saffron and cumin were planted based on optimum density with 50 corms.m-2 and 120 plants.m-2, respectively. The results showed that the effect of additive intercropping series of cumin was significant (p≤0.01) on flower number, fresh weight of flower and dry weight of stigma of saffron. The highest fresh weight of flower and dry weight of stigma were observed in saffron monoculture with 291.87 and 2.77 g.m-2, respectively. Among the additive intercropping series with cumin, their maximums were obtained from 100% saffron% of optimum density of cumin with 214.34 and 1.98 g.m-2, respectively. Yield components, biological yield, seed yield and essential oil yield of cumin were significantly affected by intercropping with saffron (p≤0.01). The highest biological yield and seed yield of cumin were achieved in monoculture with 243.08 and 120.87 g.m-2, respectively. Among the intercropping series with saffron, their highest were recorded in 100% saffron흍% of optimum density of cumin with 171.15 and 84.90 g.m-2, respectively. By increasing presence of cumin from 20 to 100% at additive intercropping series with saffron, essential oil were enhanced up to 77, 61, 39 and 19 percent. The highest land equivalent ratio was for 100% saffron% of optimum density of cumin with 1.12. So, it concluded that intercropping of saffron with other medicinal plant such as cumin was considered for its improvement yield.