Effect of cumin planting on saffron performance in the first year of intercropping

To study the effects of cumin (Cuminum cyminum) planting on saffron (Crocus sativus) performance in the first year of intercropping, an experiment was conducted in 2006-07 cropping season at research farm of College of Agriculture, Islamic Azad University of Khorasgan in Khatoonabad, Isfahan using a complete randomized block design whit three replications. Saffron was planted as the main plant and cumin was planted between the saffron rows with different densities of 50, 75 and 100 plants per m2.Yied off flower and stigma, biological yield, number of corm and its depth were recorded for saffron and seed yield and its components for cumin. The results showed that different densities of cumin had not singnificant effects on different characteristics of saffron, butsignificantly affected cumins seed yield and its components. Increasing plant density decreased number of seeds per umber and 1000 seed weight. Planting of cumin in mixture planting with saffron had no negative effect on yield of saffron. Based on the results of the present study, planting of cumin with a normal density (75 plants per m2) with sow broadcast between the rows of saffron could be recommended for production of higher seed yield of cumin.