نشریه زراعت و فناوری زعفران
سال پنجم شماره 3 (پیاپی 17، پاییز 1396)

Saffron is the main medicinal plant of Iran. In order to study the relations of sink and source between saffron leaves and corms, a split plot experiment was conducted on the basis of complete randomized block design with three replications in a field in the Ashkezar city of Yazd province during 2013-2014. The main plots and sub plots were irrigated with three levels (100%, 75% and 50% of ETc) and the fertilization management methods including control (without any fertilizer or manure), applying 10 t/ha cow manure, 10 t/ha vermicompost by spreading, 10 t/ha vermicompost buried under planting corm rows, 5 t/ha vermicompost buried under planting corm rows, or spraying 10 l/ha Humaster Saffron fertilizer for 1 or 2 times after flowering. The Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated between leaf length in every measuring stage and the weight of biggest corm at the end of the first year (as daughter corm). The results showed that correlation coefficients were decreased until 40 days after emergence and then increased. The highest correlation coefficient reached around 80 days after emergence and followed until the end of the growth period. The best corm yield was reached for 10 t/ha vermicompost buried under planting corm rows. Also under different irrigation regimes, the best results were obtained through full irrigation treatment.

Weedy flora of agroecosystems is composed of many species that have evolved in response to cropping system practices by occupying the niches left available in agroecosystems. In order to study weed species diversity and community structure in the saffron fields of Khorasan province, a survey trial was carried out in seven counties (including Mashhad, Neyshabur, Birjandn, Ghaen, Gonabad, Torbat-e Jam and Torbat-e Heydari) during 2014 and 2015 from vegetative growth, dormant to flowering stages of saffron randomly dropped 1×1 m2 quadrates in 50 fields based on a systematic method as W pattern. The counties were clustered by the hierarchical complete linkage method based on Euclidean. Biodiversity indices such as stability coefficient, Simpson, Shannon–Wiener, Margalef and Menhinick were computed. The results indicated that the dominant weeds in saffron fields belong to 19 families and 50 species. Poaceae, Brassicaceae, Asteraceae and Fabaceae were dominant families with 11, 9, 8 and 6 species, respectively. The majority of weed species were dicotyledonous, C3, noxious and annual plants. The highest stability coefficients in the stages of growth of saffron were calculated in Alhagi camelorum, Avena fatua and Achillea millefolium to be 30.81, 24.11 and 12.14, respectively. All weed species except for Alhagi camelorum (sustainable species) and Avena fatua (temporary species) were recognized as causal species. The maximum diversity indices for weed species were recorded at the vegetative phase of saffron. Correlation coefficient between weed density and yield loss of saffron was computed as R2=0.98. Based on diversity indices for weed species, different counties were clustered in three groups at 75% similarity level.

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is the world's most expensive spice. Moreover, it is important since it contains various drug metabolites. Saffron is a triploid (2n=3X=24) and sterile plant and it does not have any viable seeds. Because of the sterility, classical breeding of this plant is limited. Developing an efficient callus induction protocol is studied for two reasons, i.e. molecular breeding and the production of secondary metabolites. In order to provide a suitable callus induction protocol, establishment of corms was considered. Five different treatments were applied to sterilization of corms. Thin cell layer explants with approximately 1 mm thickness and typical explants with approximately 1 cm thickness were prepared from sterilized corms. For callus induction, different explants were planted in MS medium containing different concentration of 2, 4-D, BAP and NAA. Then, they were incubated in dark conditions at 20 ±20C for 3 months. The results showed that the use of Benomyl fungicide, followed by surface sterilization using sodium hypochlorite (2.5 %) was the best sterilization treatment. The highest survival rates of explants (90%) were observed in this treatment and all explants were free of contamination. The highest amount of callus induction (75%) was obtained in MS medium supplemented with 2mg/l NAA and 0/5 mg/l BAP from thin cell layer of basal corm. The same result was observed with 1mg/l 2, 4-D from typical explants of basal corm. The results obtained from this study show that the thin cell layer explants are suitable explants because of the high amount of callus formation and the advantages for gene transfer studies.
The results showed that the use of Benomyl fungicide, followed by surface sterilization using sodium hypochlorite (2.5 %) was the best sterilization treatment. The highest survival rates of explants (90%) was observed in this treatment and all explants were free of contamination. The highest amount of callus induction (75%) was obtained in MS medium supplemented with 2mg/l NAA and 0/5 mg/l BAP from thin cell layer of basal corm. The same result was observed with 1mg/l 2,4-D from typical explants of basal corm. Our results showed that the thin cell layer explants are suitable explant because of high amount of callus formation and advantages for gene transfer studies.

In this study, the dilute acid Hydrolysis of saffron waste as a lignocellulose biomass for fermentable sugar production as a green fuel is investigated. Saffron plant waste was collected, washed with distilled water, dried by being exposed to air and sunlight, milled by a disk mill up to 50 micrometers and kept in plastic at room temperature. The prepared biomass was heated in a specified acidic solution for a predetermined time period in the autoclave. The influences of 3 major parameters including temperature, acid concentration and time on the produced fermentable sugar is investigated by the response surface method. According to previous studies, the levels for pretreatment were: temperature (116, 124, 132, and 140oC), process time (20, 30, 40, and 50 minute and sulfuric acid concentration (0, 1, 2, and 3%). To determine the type and quantity of products, the filtered solution was analyzed by HPLC and the results (glucose, xylose and furfural) were modeled by a quadratic equation. This model showed that glucose concentration was influenced by the quadratic power of acid concentration and time while xylose concentration was influenced by time and furfural depends on time alone. It may be concluded that high acid concentration, low temperature and medium time could produce maximum products (glucose and xylose) with minimum inhibitor (furfural).

Because of saffron yield sensitivity and the effects of climate on its performance, and also due to the nonlinear nature of crop yield functions, the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model is employed in this study for prediction and uncertainty analysis of saffron yield in the South Khorasan province based on 20 years of data. The input vector of the ANN model was optimized from 37 parameters through correlation and variance inflation. The optimum architecture of the model was derived as 1-2-4-11 with a sigmoidal activation function based on the results at three stages of training, testing and verification. The root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) were equal to 0.3 and 0.5 in the training step and 0.7 and 1 in the test step, respectively. These results indicate that the ANN is a suitable model for predicting saffron yield. Uncertainty analysis based on R2, d-factor and 95%PPU showed that despite use of inadequate data, model prediction showed acceptable prediction bounds and predicted a satisfactorily saffron yield trend. The R2 values were equal to 0.92 and 0.58 in the training and test steps, respectively, which are statistically significant at the P

Saffron is the most expensive agricultural and pharmaceutical product in the world. It is significant for several reasons such as having high water productivity compared to other crops. It is providing rural employment and preventing their migration, having high medicinal and spice values, ease of maintenance and transportation. Most importantly, it is producing a high revenue compared to other agricultural products. On this basis, due to the suitability of some parts of Iran to saffron production and the role of this product in the livelihood of rural households, assessment of the sustenance impacts of saffron production in the active villages seems absolutely necessary. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to assess the status of saffron production and its role in the livelihood of rural households of the Roshtkhar Rural District. This research was done based on a descriptive-analytic approach. In this regard, the role of saffron cultivation in 355 households living in 13 villages with over 100 households in the study rural district was investigated. To this goal, after conducting documentary studies and initial field visits, a wide range of measures proportional to the circumstances of the study villages were adopted. Then, data collection was performed based on the selected indices and questionnaires were distributed to be filled by villagers and households... To analyze the data, the relevant statistical and spatial analyses were done through the application of Expert choice, SPSS, and ArcGIS software packages. The research findings indicated that the annual revenues derived from saffron production in 43.9% of the households under study were more than they obtained from other sources of income. Through the analysis of the study data, it can be concluded that saffron production has a significant effect on the improvement of the residents’ livelihood in the Roshtkhar Rural District and this fact has reinforced the households’ motivation to stay in the rural district.

The purpose of this study is to designing the strategic plans of the Saffron institute of the university of Torbat-e Heydarieh. The research method is analytical–descriptive. The size of the statistical sample for this research was n=50 including, principal and associate principal of the university and the institute, staff, professors and experienced researchers who were selected by purposive sampling. Review of literature, study of documents, interviews, questionnaire, surveys, forms for determining strategic issues and strategic meetings were used for collecting data. The validity of the SWOT questionnaire was approved by several professors of sport management and experts and the reliability was confirmed according to Cronbach's alpha (α=0.91). For analyzing the data, descriptive statistics, Friedman test, Internal and External factor matrixes, SWOT analysis based on intuition and brainstorming were used for developing strategies. The results of this research showed saffron institute, university of Torbat-e Heydarieh has 7 strengths, 18 weaknesses, 7 opportunities, and 11 threats. Accordingly, subjects such as mission statements, vision statements, and long – terms objectives, core values, strategic situation, strategies and plans were determined. In addition, the analysis of internal and external matrix showed that this office is located in the Weakness-Opportunities (WO) position.