Effect of Planting Density on Flower Quality in Two Types of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.)

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is one of the most valuable medicinal cash crops that mainly cultivated in arid and semi-arid areas. In order to study the effect of planting density on flower quality in Iranian and Spanish corms of saffron, an experiment was conducted as factorial layout based on a randomized complete block design with three replications during two growing seasons (2013-2014 and 2014-2015). Two corm types (a1: Iranian and a2: Spanish corms) and three planting densities (d1: 40, d2: 48 and d3: 60 corms.m-2) were considered as treatments. The results showed that the effect of different planting density on crocin, picrocrocin and safranal contents were significant (p≤0.01). The highest numbers of crocin (202.01), picrocrocin (72.23) and safranal (36.30) contents were obtained in 40 corms.m-2, moreover the highest number of crocin (200.73), picrocrocin (71.24) and safranal (28.91) contents were obtained in Spanish corm. However, the highest numbers of flower (27.21 flowers.m-2), flower fresh weight (13.58 g.m-2) and dry weight (stigma닜) (0.144 g.m-2) were obtained from Iranian corms. Spanish corm in comparison with Iranian corm was produced more crocin, picrocrocin and safranal contents. In contrast, Iranian corms produced the highest saffron dry weight.
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is one of the most valuable medicinal cash crops that cultivated mainly in arid and semi-arid areas. In order to study the Effect of planting density on flower quality in Iranian and Spanish Saffron (Crocus sativus L.), an experiment was conducted in factorial with randomized complete block design with three replications in two growing seasons (2013- 14 and 2014- 15). The saffron corm type considered in two levels (a1: Iranian corm and a2: Spanish corm) and the planting density were in three levels (d1:40, d2:48, d3:60 corm.m-2). Results showed that the effect of different planting density and saffron corms type on number of flowers, flower fresh and dry weight (stigma style) were significant. In addition the effect of different planting density on crocin, picrocrocin and safranal were significant (p