Quantitative and Qualitative Response of Saffron to Biochar Organic Matter and Dehydration Stress

Today, the use of organic and mineral additives in the soil for better product performance and higher efficiency of water consumption is expanding in the world. Saffron, like other agricultural plants, in order to make maximum use of the potential of the environment, in addition to suitable weather and soil conditions, requires optimal agricultural management to achieve maximum yield and increase the duration of the exploitation period of saffron fields. Considering the importance and value of saffron, the purpose of this research is to investigate the use of Biochar and dehydration stress on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of saffron performance so that it does not have a negative effect on the economic value, food, health and market needs of the product at the global level.

Torbat-Heydarieh city is located at 59 degrees 12 minutes east longitude and 34 degrees 17 minutes north latitude at an altitude of 1333 meters above sea level. research in the form of a randomized complete block design with two factors of biological production biochar (without applying biochar B0, applying 10 tons per hectare B1 and applying 15 tons per hectare B2) and dehydration stress (S0 without applying stress, S1 applying stress around irrigation) Done. Statistical analysis of the data was done using DSTAT software and graphs were drawn using EXCEL software. Also, comparison of means was done using Duncan's test at the level of 5 percent probability.

  Based on the results, the highest and lowest quantitative values for the attributes of flower number are 74.7 and 32.7 flowers per square meter, fresh flower weight (it is the simplest measurement parameter of saffron flower among farmers and it is considered the first criterion for farm performance) The amount of 20.8 and 8.8 grams per square meter and the dry weight of the stigma (it is the same as saffron threads and is known as the most important part of the saffron flower) the amount of 0.41 and 0.12 grams per square meter, respectively, for B0S1 And B2S1 treatments resulted. the yield increase between the minimum and maximum yield of the traits of number of flowers, fresh flower weight and stigma dry weight was observed by 130, 120 and 350%, respectively. The results showed that the research treatments had a sinusoidal graph during the flowering period, so that in the treatments of applying 10 tons per hectare of biochar and 15 tons per hectare of biochar, the graphs had different fluctuations from the control treatment (without applying biochar). The mean square results showed that the quantitative traits (number of flowers, fresh flower weight and stigma dry weight) of saffron have a significant relationship at the 1% probability level when comparing two factors, and the mean square results of the qualitative traits (Picrocrocin, crocin, safranal and moisture) of saffron in The comparison of two factors became non-significant. The results showed that the highest values for the qualitative traits of picrocrocin and crocin, the B2S1 treatment was obtained with values of 237 and 82 (maximum absorption), respectively, among the research treatments.

The use of biochar as an active carbon source in the first year of cultivation has had slight changes in yields and better results have been obtained for stressed yields. There have been minor changes for qualitative traits. In general, the stress of water scarcity and the application of biochar did not have a bad effect on the yield of saffron, and it should be checked for the next years as well.