The Effect of Municipal Wastewater and Modern Irrigation Methods on the Properties of Saffron

Saffron is a plant with high nutritional and commercial value, which has a good economic value when presented in high quality. This study was conducted in a randomized complete block design with two factors; type of irrigation water source (well water W1 and treated wastewater of municipal wastewater W2) and type of irrigation system (surface S1 and subsurface S2) with three replications. According to the results of chemical analysis of unconventional irrigation water source, treated wastewater in Torbat-e-Heydariyeh treatment plant met the standards of irrigation water for crops. The results of the mean squares in testing the irrigation system type and contrast of two factors showed that all quantitative traits of saffron were insignificant except two traits of dry weight of cream and stigma dry weight which were significant at the level of 1% probability. Also the results of the mean squares of saffron quality traits in the factor of type of irrigation source and the contrast of two factors showed that all quality traits, except moisture and total coliform which became significant at the level of 1% probability, became insignificant. Based on the results, the highest yield was obtained for quantitative traits of flower number, stigma dry weight and cream dry weight for W1S1 treatment and wastewater treatment. Treatments did not show significant differences. Also, for the quality traits of pyroxene, crocin, safranal and total coliform in W2S2 treatment, it was the highest value and wastewater treatments did not have a negative effect on product quality.