Assessing effect of cumin and saffron additive intercropping at various planting dates on quantitative and qualitative yield of the plants

In order to study effect of various additive intercropping series of saffron and cumin on their yields, and yield components, an experiment was conducted as split-plot arrangement based on randomized complete block design with three replications in a two years saffron research farm in agricultural faculty of Bardsir at 2016-2017. The experimental treatments were planting dates (November 11, December 11, March 6 and April 4) assigned to main plot, and additive intercropping series (25, 50, 75 and 100% of optimum density of cumin (120 plant m-2), sole saffron (50 plant m-2), sole cumin) as subplot. The studied traits were including number of umbrella per plant, essential oil percentage, seed, biological and essential oil yield, and also saffron flower number, flower yield, stigma yield, number of replacement corm, corm weight and number of infected corm. The results showed that delaying in cumin planting date led to a notable decrease in cumin yield and yield components, in all the planting patterns. The reduction values of cumin seed yield in March and April planting dates compared to November were 39% and 64%, respectively. Cumin essential oil at November (2.79%), December (2.78%) and April (2.83%) planting dates were higher than March (2.42%). The experimental treatments had no significant effect on corm number, but cumin planting at spring contained greater infected corms than fall planting. The corm weight was declined as affected by delay in planting date and increase in cumin density. The saffron flower and stigma yield in fall intercropping was significantly higher than spring intercropping. Intercropping had negative impacts on saffron productivity, and the highest stigma yield (2.97 kg ha-1) was assigned to sole cropping. In general, the maximum (1.51) LER was related to fall intercropping of cumin and saffron.