Effect of Summer Irrigation and Conservation Tillage on Flower Yield and Qualitative Characteristics of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.)

In order to investigate the effects of summer irrigation and conservation tillage on flower characteristics and corms behavior of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.), a field experiment was conducted during 2009- 2010, at Faculty of Agriculture, University of Torbat-e-Heydarieh, Iran. A factorial trial based on complete randomized block design with four replications was used. The experimental treatments were all combination of summer irrigations (July, August, July + August and no irrigation) and conservation tillage (application and non- application). Based on analysis of variance, in the first and second years, summer irrigation had significant effects on number and flower yield of saffron. In the first year, the highest number of flower, flower and stigma yield of saffron significantly observed by irrigation on July + August (25 flowers per m2, 12.1 and 0.16 g.m-2, respectively,). In the second year, irrigation in August had highest significant effects on mentioned characteristics of saffron (127.4 flowers per m2, 61.4 and 0.87 g.m-2, respectively). In the first year, flower and stigma yields of saffron significantly increased by conservation tillage (by 11.3 and 11.7%), as compared to control (no conservation tillage). In addition, summer irrigation and conservation tillage significantly increased picrocrocin content.