Effects of Potasic Zeolite Levels and Irrigation Management on Agronomic Criteria and Yield of saffron (Crocus sativus L.)

Water stress is one of the most important factors that effect on agricultural products reduction and even in plants that are native to arid and semiarid has observed. Saffron (Corocus sativus L.) is the valuable crop that it is important to reduce the effect of drought stress. For this purpose, an experiment was conducted as factorial layout based on a CRD in Agricultural Research Station, University of Birjand during 2013. Zeolite in four levels: Zero (Z0), 0.5 (Z1), one (Z2) and two (Z3) as weight percentage and irrigation scheduling in three levels: traditional irrigation (I1), deficit irrigation as 70% moisture depletion (I2) and full irrigation (I3) considered as treatments. In this research, petal length, petal fresh weight, stigma length, stigma fresh weight, stamen length, stamen fresh weight, stigma dry weight and emergence percentage were studied. Results showed zeolite levels had signification effect on stigma dry weight (p≤0.001) on fresh stigma fresh weight, petal fresh weight, stamen fresh weight and stigma length and (p≤0.01). Irrigation management showed an signification effect on stigma dry weight (p≤0.001), stamen fresh weight (p≤0.01) and stigma length (p≤0.05). Zeolite levels and irrigation management had a signification effect on petal fresh weight (p≤0.01) and stigma length (p≤0.05). Stigma fresh weight influenced by zeolite application so that the use of Z1, Z2 and Z3 increased stigma fresh weight as 87, 87.5 and 94%, respectively. Stigma length also influenced by zeolite amount and irrigation scheduling so that the greatest petal length observed by application of Z1, this increase was 65% compared to control Z0. Also, increasing water use up to I3 caused change in stigma length about of 58% rather than I1. Z1 and Z2 showed the meaningful effect on petal fresh weight and increased it about 67.5 and 60% compared to control. I2 and I3 showed the meaningful effect on petal fresh weight compared to I1. Stamen fresh weight influenced by zeolite application and Z1, Z2 and Z3 increased this component about 70.5, 68.5 and 64% compared to control, respectively. Stigma dry weight increased by using more zeloites and irrigation water so that maximum yield in Z2I3, Z3I2 and Z3I3 were observed and there were no significant different among them. Due to the lack of water in Birjand, Z3I2 treatment recommended for saffron cultivation.