نشریه پژوهش های زعفران
سال ششم شماره 1 (بهار و تابستان 1397)

Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a subtropical plant which is cultivated in Iran so far and its yield is strongly dependent on soil chemical properties. Zeolites are one of the substances which are used to improve soil characteristics and soil correction capability as well. To evaluate the effects of these minerals in some soil chemical properties (Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, SO4, HCO3, pH and EC) under saffron cultivation, a study was conducted at completely randomized design with seven treatments at the Agricultural Research Station, University of Birjand during 2012. Factors which examined in this study include type of Zeolites: calcic zeolite (Zca), potasic zeolite (Zk) and z-mix zeolite (Zs) in three levels: zero (Z0), 2 (M2) and 6 (M6) as wt% with 9 replications. These treatments were mixed with soil and were placed in pots with diameter 30 cm and height 35 cm. Soil sampling was done in depth of 10-20 cm at the end of crop season. Also, soil sampling was performed at two other depth layers (0-10 and 20-30 cm) for determination of soil EC. The results showed that the effect of zeolite was significant on bicarbonate concentration in soil solution (P< 0.05). Interaction effect of type and amount of zeolite was significant on Ca, Mg, Cl, HCO3, SO4 concentration in soil solution and pH as well (P< 0.05) and it affected on Na and total cations (P< 0.01), but the amount of Zeolite has no affect.

The effects of application of humic acid on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of saffron were evaluated under field conditions. Treatment was of four levels of humic acid (0, 5, 10 and 15 l.ha-1) This experiment was carried out as based on randomized completely block design with three replications in research farm of Birjand University, Iran, during growing season 2015-2016. Results showed that humic acid improved the leaf growth indices (fresh and dry weight of leaf) and chl a. The highest leaf fresh (0.116g.p-1) and dry (0.029g.p-1) weight were obtained in plants treated with 5 and 10 l.ha-1 humic acid while the lowest values were recorded in the control. Also results showed that humic acid improved the corm growth indices (corm number and total fresh, cormel average weight and diameter). Stigma fresh and dry yield were influenced by humic acid treatments in second year of study. The highest stigma fresh (0.700g.m-2) and dry (0.029g.m-2) yield were obtained in plants treated with 5 and 15 l.ha-1 humic acid. While the lowest values (0.267 and 0.022 g.m-2) were recorded in the control. But, no significant difference was found in flower number and fresh total yield. Thus, results showed that application of 5 l.ha-1 humic acid useful to improve vegetative and reproductive characteristics of saffron.

Foliar application of phytohormones and nutrients can affect the saffron vegetative growth and its tolerance to environmental stress. In order to evaluate the role of salicylic acid and potassium nitrate foliar application on saffron growth, a two years' study (2014-16) was carried out based on a randomized complete block design with four replications at Sarayan faculty of agriculture, university of Birjand. In this study, different levels of salicylic acid (0.5, 1 and 2 mM) and potassium nitrate (250, 500 and 1000 mg L-1) plus control (distilled water) was sprayed twice during plant growth. Based on the results, the highest chlorophyll a (6.93 mg/g FW) and chlorophyll a/b obtained at plants treated with 1000 mg L-1 of potassium nitrate, which had no significant difference with level of 2 mM Salicylic acid. The highest chlorophyll b content was obtained at 0.5 mM salicylic acid (1.084 mg/g FW) that showed no significant different with 1 mM treatment. All levels of salicylic acid and potassium nitrate reduced the electrolyte leakage percentage. Moreover, the highest amounts of daughter corms fresh weight (3.9 g), number of leaves (8 leaf per plant), and leaf length (33.81 cm) were gained at concentration of 2 mM salicylic acid. Overall, it can be concluded that foliar application of salicylic acid and potassium nitrate is an appropriate strategy in saffron cultivation which can reduce the effects of thermal stress (reduce in electrolyte leakage) and increase replacement corm growth and leaf extension

The economic and social importance of saffron as the most expensive spice in the world has a unique position among Iranian industrial and export products. The numerous and numerous uses of saffron and its medicinal properties and its diverse food consumption, and most importantly, have a major role in the lives of farmers in the central and southern Khorasan provinces, which makes it especially clear on the issues of production, export and market of saffron. The main objective of this study was to investigate the factors affecting the export of Iranian saffron using the Delphi method that is used by experts in this area. The design of this study using the Delphi method has been to reach a consensus. In relation to the 36 measures affecting exports of saffron participated in the survey. The 36 measures adopted in the three-story Face. The first process, the most important and basic indices were divided into two groups and brand packaging and the lack of national brand important criteria (no brand) was observed. The second indicator, the economy (exports) were the next priority and the most important criterion of all criteria that have the most points and ranked first, saffron fraud and abuse in the export sector has been jobber. The third indicator, the production, the most important measure of the individual's working farmers (lack of proper co-operatives), the other index is the ratio of less importance.

. Agriculture is the most vulnerable sectors. Given that most rural livelihood is agriculture, including the cultivation of saffron. Knowledge of the future status of such variables influencing the temperature is very important for future planning. This study explores the changes in temperature until 2100 in South Khorasan Province deals. The main purpose of the identification of the main focuses of temperature change and displacement that followed in the cultivation of saffron. The method of this study was to evaluate changes in temperature in greenhouse gases and using the hybrid model MAGICC-SENEN and using general circulation models of the atmosphere HADCM3 and ECHO-G under 18, including climate change scenarios A1B, B1 and A2 for the next decade to 2100 was conducted. The 2000-1961 period as the previous period and the period 2100-2016 were selected as future periods. The results show that in all the province for decades to come will be an increasing trend of temperature changes, the temperature increase is more since 2025. In some areas of southern and central provinces, including the northern region of the temperature rise would be higher. Saffron growing areas in the province in the coming period from spread in the city of poets, Cain, and Asadiyeh Paradise Island deformation pattern will be more compatible with saffron and plain Nimbluk, khezri and will in the coming period.

Given that saffron is a plant that its growth and development are coincided by apple tree inactive phase and also flowering and development stages have little interference with the tree, on the other hand because of synchrony of rainy seasons with plant growth, it can be a good candidate for agro-forestry in apple gardens of semi-arid regions as Iran. So this experiment aimed to evaluate the effect of corm weight and plant density on saffron yield. The experiment carried out as factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications in 2015-2016 growing seasons. First factor included of corm density in three levels (30.8, 40 and 57.1 corm.m-2) and second factor included of corm weight in four levels (≤6.0, 6.1-8.0, 8.1-10.0 and >10.0 gr). Rows spacing was 25 cm and corm spacing was set-out based on density levels. Results showed that maximum flower numbers, fresh and dry flower yield, fresh and dry stigma yield, corm yield, corm number and dry stigma yield in garden area were achieved from combination of 57.1 corm m-2 and 10< gr weight in two years. Maximum emergence percentage belonged to 10< gr corm in two years. Given that saffron yield consist of dry stigma yield and corm weight, it seems that sowing corm of 10< gr weight and 57.1 corm m-2 can produce proper yield, especially at first and second years, that apple trees canopy is not completed yet.

In recent years, cultivation of saffron in Nishabur city has been more attention by farmers due to low water requirements and adequate income. Planning for the marketing of this strategic product and the provision of agricultural inputs related to saffron requires that the information of area under its cultivation. In this research, using Landsat 8 satellite images and time difference methods based on plants phenology prepared to estimate the areas under cultivation of this product in Darbeghazi village of Nishabur. A satellite image of June related to the plant's dormant phase and an image in December related to vegetative growth stage prepared. Using different vegetation indices, saffron lands were distinguished from other agricultural products. In this research, the cultivated area of saffron in the studied area was 1229 hectares with a total accuracy of 82%. Also, the results of this study indicate that the accuracy of this method depends on the patch area of agricultural lands, so that in areas less than 2000 square meters, the user's precision is 62 percent, in lands with an area between 2000 and 5000 square meters, accuracy is 72 percent, in parts between half to one hectare precision is 81% and in lands more than one hectare, accuracy is 90%. The results of this research indicated that this method is suitable for estimating the area under cultivation of saffron in other parts of the country.

A new magnetically catalyst was synthesized by the immobilization of Saffron on the surface of γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles under ultrasonic agitation. The high catalytic efficiency of γ-Fe2O3@Saffron as a reusable organocatalyst in the synthesis of a wide variety of quinoxaline derivatives under mild eco-friendly conditions was exploited. Desired yields of heterocyclic compounds were obtained in the present method employing ethanol as an eco-friendly solvent under mild conditions. This novel magnetic catalyst could be easily separated from the reaction mixture by a magnetic bar and recovered at least five times without intense loss of its activity. The additional advantage of this catalytic system is facile and easy work-up procedure of the solid catalyst at the end of reaction, convenient, and high conversion of products. These benefits plus excellent reusability of the catalyst render the present strategy practical to address the environmental and industrial issues. Catalyst characterization was performed by using FT-IR, XRD, VSM and TEM.

Overuse of nitrogen fertilizers does not meet the farmer's goal of increasing the product, but also causes environmental contamination. The question of how best to use these fertilizers is affected by farmers to reduce pollution without affecting their welfare and developmental opportunities is an important question that needs to be evaluated. In this study, effective factors on the optimal use of nitrogen fertilizer in Torbat Heydarieh, as the main production area of saffron, have been investigated and analyzed. To this end, the information about 400 saffron farmer that was collected in the year 2016 from Torbat Heydarieh region has been used. The results of Logit model show a positive relationship between the age of the farm, the age of the farmer, the size of the farm, the frequency of irrigation and the occupation outside the field and the level of N fertilizer application; and the negative relationship between variables of education level, amount of animal manure, soil fertility, N fertilizer price, experience and membership in rural cooperative with N fertilizer level. Based on these results, efforts should being made to increase awareness of saffron farmers in managing fertilizer use, offering new technological options, especially for large farms, and using pricing policies aimed at replacing other inputs, such as biological fertilizers.

In order to investigate the effect of different nitrogen sources on some quantitative and biochemical characteristics of Saffron, an experiment was conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the Research Farm of Zanjan University. The treatments were Azotobarvar-1 bio-fertilizer (containing free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria Azotobacter vinelandii) at two levels (0.1 and 0.2 %), Nitrokara (containing symbiotic and free-living nitrogen-fixing bacteria Azorhizobium caulinodan) at two levels (1 and 2 %), and combination of both at four levels (1% Nitrokara + 0.1 % Azotobarvar-1, 1 % Nitrokara + 0.2 % Azotobarvar-1, 2 % Nitrokara + 0.1 % Azotobarvar-1, 2 % Nitrokara + 0.2 % Azotobarvar-1) compared to control and one nitrogen level (40 kg/ha) in the form of urea. The results showed that the highest number of flowers, performance of stigma and the maximum length of stigma was Obtain from plants inoculated with 0.2 % Azotobacter. The highest leaf nitrogen content and chlorophyll a obtained in 0.2 % Azotobacter and 40 kg/ha nitrogen. Also 0.1% Azotobacter and 2 % Azorhizobium treatments resulted in highest dry weight of stigma. The highest amounts of antioxidant and total phenol of stigmas were achieved with 1 % Azorhizobium and the highest amount of flavonoids was observed with 0.1 % Azotobacter. The Highest amounts of crocin and safranal were obtained with 0.1 % Azotobacter and 1 % Azorhizobium treatments respectively. In general, to obtain higher production of saffron 0.2 % Azotobacter, and to achieve higher content of active substances 0.1 % Azorhizobium are recommended.