نشریه زراعت و فناوری زعفران
سال یازدهم شماره 3 (پیاپی 41، پاییز 1402)

The present research was conducted in order to achieve the best method of planting and obtaining the maximum yield of flowers and stigmas of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) in two stages in Sari Plain. The first stage was carried out in the research farm of Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University during 2021-2022 as split plots on randomized complete blocks design with three replications, in which the experimental treatments included drainage depth (15, 30, and 45 cm) in the main plots and three drainage distances (50, 100 and 150 cm) in the subplots. In the second stage, the produced corms were stored for three months in the incubation environment, and then, the corms were transferred to two different environments of aeroponic and field to evaluate saffron's flower and stigma performance. The measured traits included the number of produced flowers, average flower weight, dry stigma weight in both field and aeroponic, and the amount of safranal, picrocrocin, and crocin and in aeroponic conditions. The evaluation of reproductive traits of saffron under aeroponic showed that with increasing the depth of the drain and decreasing the distance of the drain, traits such as the number of flowers, flower weight, and stigma dry weight increased; when the maximum value of these traits, equivalent to 4744 flowers.m-2, 1423 g.m-2, and 10.7 g.m-2 were observed at 30 cm drainage depth and 100 cm drainage distance, which did not have a significant difference with 45 cm drainage depth treatment and 100 cm drainage distance. In addition, the results showed that the amount of picrocrocin decreased with increasing the depth of the drain and the distance of the drain. In addition, no significant difference was observed between different treatments for crocin content. Comparing the reproductive traits of plants under two cultivation conditions, namely air, and field, revealed a reduction of 21%, 20%, and 12% in the number of flowers, fresh flower weight, and dry weight of stigma, respectively, within the field conditions. In summary, the findings suggest that, for optimal saffron production in coastal areas, the propagation of corms in the field at depths of 30 cm and 100 cm with proper drainage, followed by flowering of the propagated corms through aeroponic cultivation, could be a viable and economically sound approach for one-year saffron cultivation in the Sari plain region.

Applying chemical fertilizers has traditionally been employed to enhance saffron cultivation yields. However, their excessive usage has not only failed to increase yields significantly but has also resulted in soil element depletion and environmental pollution. In the context of sustainable agriculture, the use of biofertilizers presents an alternative approach. Biofertilizers play a crucial role in reducing the dependency on chemical fertilizers by aiding in the mobilization of mineral elements within the soil, ultimately leading to heightened yield levels. Therefore, due to the importance of increasing the yield of saffron as a strategic export and medicinal plant, an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design format with three replications in the research farm of the Semnan Natural Resources Department during the year 2022. Iron-zinc (FeZn), potassium (K), phosphorus (P) biofertilizers, and their combination together with the control (total of 8 treatments) were experimental treatments and applied as fertigation in the middle of February 2022. The studied traits included flowering period, number of flowers, fresh and dry flower weight, fresh and dry weight of stigma, height and diameter of stigma tip, number and length of leaves, and leaf chlorophyll content. The field soil was analyzed before the experiment, and it was a saline calcareous soil with alkaline pH and high levels of nutritional elements, which does not need chemical fertilizers for saffron cultivation. Mean comparisons showed that biofertilizers caused a significant increase (p < 0.05) in all traits except length and number of leaves, height, and stigma diameter compared to the control. This research showed that the combined application of K and FeZn biofertilizers had the best results. So that the highest values of the number of flowers (175 number.plot-1), fresh weight of flowers (72.61 g.plot-1), dry weight of flowers (7.92 g.plot-1), length of flowering period (21 days), chlorophyll a content (0.728 mg.g-1 of leaf fresh weight), total chlorophyll content (5.97 mg.g-1 leaf fresh weight), stigma fresh weight (4.28 g.plot-1) and stigma dry weight (0.804 g.plot-1) were recorded in the  K+FeZn treatment. Overall, the cultivation of saffron with biofertilizers improved most of the quantitative and qualitative traits of saffron by affecting the uptake of nutrients, and the combined use of biofertilizers can significantly increase saffron yield through synergistic effects.

Saffron, a cherished native plant of Iran, holds immense value, and its optimal growth and development hinge on the precise administration of nutrients and growth regulators. However, scant information exists concerning the nutritional attributes and the impacts of external application of growth regulators on its overall performance. This study intends to scrutinize the influence of varying concentrations of forchlorfenuron and potassium nitrate on the attributes of daughter corms as well as the ultimate saffron yield. Through this investigation, a deeper understanding of the relationship between growth regulators, nutrients, and saffron production can be attained, shedding light on the potential avenues for enhancing its cultivation and yield. This experiment was conducted as a factorial based on a randomized complete block design in the research farm of Zanjan University. According to the results, the interaction effect of forchlorfenoren 2.5 and 5 mg.liter-1 and potassium nitrate 500 mg.liter-1 decreased the number of daughter corms. Characteristics such as the weight of daughter corms of more than 7 grams per square meter, corm diameter, number of flowers per square meter, and the amount of safranal, crocin, and picrocrocin showed a significant increase due to the interaction of forchlorfenoren 5 mg.liter-1 and potassium nitrate 1000 mg.liter-1. The highest wet and dry weight of the stigma was 11.49 and 1.15 grams per square meter, respectively, with the treatment of furchlorfenoren at the level of 5 mg.liter-1. Also, the use of potassium nitrate at the level of 1000 mg.liter-1 increased the fresh and dry weight of the stigma by 10.22 and 1.01 grams per square meter, respectively. The maximum stigma length was obtained in treating furchlorfenoren 10 mg.liter-1 and potassium nitrate 250 mg.liter-1. Based on the outcomes derived from foliar application experiments, it is advisable to consider utilizing a concentration of 5 mg.liter-1 for forchlorfenuron and 1000 mg.liter-1 for potassium nitrate during the period extending from March to April. This recommendation holds under the premise that environmental conditions are conducive, encompassing factors such as favorable temperatures for foliar spraying. This practice is particularly relevant to the climatic conditions prevalent in the Zanjan region.

Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. The economic value of saffron is due to the existence of apocarotenoids in its stigma. Therefore, the isolation and characterization of genes involving in apocarotenoids metabolism is on particular importance. In this research, beacause the importance of CsUGT gene in crocin biosynthesis, it was isolated, cloned the E.coli strain DH5α. The full length gene was sequenced and registered in the NCBI. In order to characterize CsUGT gene, first the protein sequence was obtained, and then the physical and chemical characteristics and physiology of the CsUGT protein were analyzed by Protparam, SOPMA, ProtScale, Pfam, ProtComp, SignalP, TMHMM and ChloroP servers and tools. Also, using the Swiss-Model server, the 3D structure of this protein was investigated and Ramachandran diagram was drawn to validate the 3D drawn model structure. According to the results, CsUGT protein with 462 amino acids has the conserved sequence of glycosyltransferase family proteins and was identified as a polar protein, stable at high temperatures and without hydrophobic domain. CsUGT protein has no peptide signal or binding signals and has a cytoplasmic location. This research made it possible to isolate the CsGTS gene of saffron and optimized the conditions of its transfer into a vector. In addition, the results of CsUGT protein structure analysis provide the basis for future functional studies and can also provide valuable information regarding the behavior and reaction of this enzyme in the synthesis of saffron apocarotenoids. In addition, these results can be useful in the future programs of Iranian saffron genetic modification.

Investigating and identifying the actual amount of water used for different agricultural products is of particular importance, and considering such evaluations, appropriate solutions can be provided to reduce agricultural water consumption, which is of great importance. The water footprint index as a global index shows the actual amount of water consumed by products based on the conditions and climate of each region. On the other hand, the phenomenon of climate change is one of the most important environmental challenges that has a significant impact on water resources. Therefore, it is important and necessary to evaluate this phenomenon in order to predict its impact on water consumption in the agricultural sector. In this research, the simulation of climate parameters using the MIROCES2L model of the 6th Report of the General Oceanic Atmospheric Circulation under three scenarios SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5 in Birjand plain has been done and then using those results to calculate the footprint prediction The blue water and green water traces of the strategic product of saffron were carried out in the Birjand Plain region. The results of the first part showed that the minimum temperature and maximum temperature in all three scenarios in the future (2050-2022) generally increased and the precipitation parameter increased in autumn and winter and decreased in spring and summer. In the second part, the prediction of saffron crop performance by NIO model showed that under three scenarios SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 in the future (2022-2038) on average 0.13, 0.21 respectively and 0.05 kg/ha has decreased compared to the observation period (2005-2021) and the results showed that with the increase in water demand in the future period, the water footprint, the green water footprint and the total water footprint of the saffron crop under the influence of climate change In the future period, it has increased by almost 2 times compared to the observation period. Also, the ratio of blue water consumption to green water in this product has increased in the future under all three scenarios compared to the observation period from 1.91 to 2.04. Therefore, despite the phenomenon of climate change, increase in temperature, increase in water demand, and finally increase in the footprint of water consumption in surface and underground water sources in the Birjand plain in the coming years, it is necessary to implement a suitable model of water consumption in the plain and To use appropriate and effective solutions to reduce the water footprint in the study area, the methods of reducing the area under cultivation, less irrigation, changing the cultivation pattern and changing the agricultural calendar should also be proposed and implemented.

To evaluate the allelopathic and fungicidal effect of saffron leaf and corm aqueous extracts on the germination and growth characteristics of London rocket (Sisymbrium irio) and Fusarium solani, independent experiments were conducted as factorial arrangement based on the completely randomized design with four replications at the Faculty of Agriculture of Birjand University in 2022. Treatments to test the inhibitory effect of saffron extract on London rocket seed germination characteristics including two types of saffron organs (leaf and corm) and seven extract concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 4 w/v %). Experimental treatments to investigate the inhibitory effect of saffron extract on the growth of Fusarium solani fungus including two types of saffron organs (leaf and corm) and seven extract concentrations (0, 1, 0.5, 25. 0, 0.125, 0.625, and 0.0312 w/v %). The results showed that the type of extract has an effect on the germination percentage, germination rate, mean germination time, length and fresh and dry weight of radicle, the length, fresh and dry weight of the plumule, seedling dry weight, and the seedling vigor of London rocket were significant, and the corm extract had more negative effects compared to the leaf extract. As the extract concentration increased, its inhibitory effect also increased. The extract concentration of 4% significantly reduced the radicle length and fresh and dry weight, the plumule length and fresh and dry weight, seedling dry weight, and seedling vigor of London rocket compared to the control. The results of the interaction showed that the lowest percentage of germination, germination rate, radicle length and fresh and dry weight, plumule fresh and dry weight and seedling dry weight of london rocket were observed at the concentration of 4 % corm extract. The results of the interaction effect of extract type and extract concentrations on Fusarium solani colony diameter showed that all the concentrations of corm extract inhibited the growth of Fusarium solani in all four stages of sampling. In leaf extract, concentrations of 0.125, 0.25, 0.5 and 1% completely inhibited the growth of Fusarium solani in all four stages of sampling. Finally, the results of these experiments showed that the effect of inhibiting the germination and growth of london rocket as well as the antifungal effect is greater in saffron corm extract than the leaf extract. Therefore, considering the results of this research and conducting more research in the field of allelopathic and fungicidal effects of saffron organ extracts, we can proceed to produce natural herbicides and fungicides.