The effect of organic fertilization and density of corms on the productivity of saffron flowers and the percentage of the active substance
Keywords:
saffron, density, fertilization, crocin, stigmaAbstract
This research was conducted in the season 2020-2021 at the Agricultural Scientific Research Center in Tartous-Amrit. The research dealt with studying the effect of four levels of fertilization: (15-30-45) tons. hectares-1 of fermented bovine manure, and only mineral fertilization as a control. Each fertilizer level included three levels of corms density (40-50-60) corms.m-2 with three replications. The results showed that the animal fertilization treatments were significantly superior to the control in all the studied traits. The reaction of the density of 60 corms.m-2 with the fertilization rate of 45 tons.ha-1 gave the best yield of flowers and from the dry and wet weight of stigmas, While the density of 40 corms.m-2 with a fertilization rate of 45 tons.ha-1 exceeded in the best ratios of the active substances crocin, picrocrocin and safranal, respectively (E1% 440 nm =193.87), (62.40=E1% 257 nm), (E1% 330 nm= 38.38).