Evaluation the possibility of saffron transplanting and corm production in soilless planting system

Saffron planting in a soilless system is considered as a potential method to increase the weight of replacement corms. In this environment, it is possible to obtain replacement corms with the suitable weight from no-flowering small mother corms as well as from corms that have produced flowers in a controlled environment, by improving the physical properties of the planting bed and proper nutrition. In this regard, in a pot research, the effect of mother corm weight (2-4, 4-6, 6-8 and 8-10 g) and superabsorbent application (0 and 4.5 g per pot) was studied on saffron vegetative growth. For this aim, a factorial experiment based on RCBD was carried out at University of Birjand. Transplanting was done in perlite substrate and all pots were kept at open door conditions. The aim of superabsorbent application was to increase the nutrients and water holding capacities in perlite planting bed. The simple and interaction effects of experimental factors were significant (P≤0.01) on most of the traits associated with saffron vegetative growth, such as the number and weight of replacement corms, the weight of the main replacement corm, the number of contractile roots and leaf growth. The growth of leaves and replacement corms improved by increase in mother corms weight. Application of superabsorbent had no positive effect on saffron vegetative growth parameters. The highest values of number of replacement corms and weight of main replacement corm were obtained by planting the large mother corms (5.6 corm per plant and 0.34 g, respectively) and no-application of superabsorbent (3.45 corm and 0.27 g, respectively). The production of contractile roots (about 0.5 roots per replacement corm), early drying of the aerial parts (in mid-March) and no full allocation of mother corm reservoirs to plant vegetative growth, were some of the observations in this experiment. The ...