Assessing involved managing factors in gap yield between traditional and ideal Saffron cultivating systems in Razavi and south Khorasan Provinces

The average stigma yield of traditional saffron cultivating systems is 3.2 kg ha-1 in Iran. Based on ideal cultivating systems, the stigma yield equivalent 41 kg ha-1 in Ferdows region, 38 kg ha-1 in Bakhazr region, 30 and 25 kg ha-1 in Torbat Heydarieh regionis recorded. The aim of the study was investigation of involved managing factors in gap yield of traditional and ideal saffron cultivating systems in Razavi and south Khorasan Provinces.. Managing factors for ideal system were recorded with respect to comments provided in the questionnaires by experts viewpoints. Traditional managing factors were recorded from 239 saffron farms in various regions of Razavi and south Khorasan Provinces. In addition, soil samples were selected from all studied farms. The results showed that saffron yield average in Razavi and south Khorasan Provinces was varied between 1.23 to 6.67 kg ha-1 in 2011 to 2017. A positive and significant correlation between precipitations with yield (b=0.002*) was observed. But, by increasing mean temperature in the studied areas, saffron yield decreased (b=-0.223**). The relationship between the amount of organic matter (b=2.42*), nitrogen (b=9.40*), phosphorus (b=0.093*) and soil sand content (b=0.007*) was positive with yield, but it decreased by increasing clay content (b=-0.015*). The results confirmed that there is an average stigma yield gap of more than 20 kg ha-1 between traditional and ideal cultivation conditions. Using small corm instead of the corm weighing more than 8 g for planting, mass planting instead of row planting, low density planting of corm, low manure application, inappropriate first irrigation time in autumn, inappropriate corm sowing date, weed control at inappropriate time and no-foliar application in the second half of the winter were the most important involved parameters in gap yield of traditional and ideal systems.