The effect of urea fertilizer and different organic and bio-fertilizers on quantitative and qualitative yield and some soil properties in Saffron cultivation

In order to evaluate the effects of organic, chemical and biological fertilizers on plant and soil properties in saffron cultivation the experiment was performed as factorial with two factors based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in the research farm of Shahed University during 2015-2016 growing seson. in this experiment the first factor was nitrogen fertilizer (urea) in three levels (0, 50 and 100 kg per ha) and second factor was different types of non-chemical fertilizers in four levels (control, vermicompost, PGPR biofertilizer containing bacteria Pseudomonas and Bacillus and integrated application of biofertilizer and vermicompost). The results showed that fertilizer treatments affect significantly on qualitative and quantitative properties of plant and soil. Among the fertilizer treatments, the integrated application of vermicompost alongwith 50 kg/ha chamical fertilizers showed the most significant increment in yields and improved soil properties. As in this treatment stigma dry yield, soil nitrogen content, soil organic mater and available soil phosphorus increase by 42.6, 66.67, 68.39, and 43.75% compared to control, respectively. Totally integrated application of vermicompost alongwith half of recommended urea fertilizer can increase yield and improve soil properties in saffron cultivation.