Evaluation of effects of date, depth and corm sowing distance on corms growth and stigma yield of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) in Langarood, Guilan province

Abstract

In order to study the best time, depth, and corm sowing distance of saffron cultivation in Guilan Province, a factorial experiment was carried out based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in Langeroud, Guilan Province, during growing season of 2011-2012. Studies factors included sowing date (A) (a1: 18th July, a2: 18th August, and a3: 18th September), sowing depth (B) (b1:5 and b2: 10 cm), and distance between corms (C) (c1:5 and c2: 10 cm). Yield of dry stigma, wet weight of petal, dry weight of leaf, length of stigmas, total length, number of flowers and number of days from sowing to flowering of saffron were recorded. The results showed that sowing date had significant (at a significance level of 1%) impacts on the weight of style and stigma, wet weight of flower, number of flower, and number of days from sowing to flowering of saffron. Sowing depth had no significant effect on the weight of style and stigma of saffron. On the other hand, the interaction between sowing date and sowing depth was significant on dry weight of leaf, weight of style and stigma, and number of flower per square meter of saffron. The interaction between sowing depth and corm distance was significant on dry weight of leaf. The highest yield of style and stigma and number of flowers of saffron were recorded at sowing date of 18th September based on 5 cm corm distance, while the lowest yield was for sowing date of 15th July and 10 cm corm distance. Density of 5 × 25 m2 produced the maximum yield of style weight, stigma weight, and dry weight of leaf. The highest leaf dry weight was observed in interaction of sowing depth and corm distance (sowing depth of 5 cm and corm distance of 5 cm) and interaction of sowing date and corm distance (sowing in July and corm distance of 5 cm). On the other hand, the lowest dry weight of leaf was produced in interaction of sowing depth and corm distance (sowing depth of 5 cm and corm distance of 10 cm) and interaction of sowing date and corm distance (sowing in July and corm distance of5 cm).

Keywords

• Corms
• Density planting
• Stigma and style