Effect of manure, bio-and chemical- fertilizers and corm size on saffron (Crocus sativus L.) yield and yield components

Organic manure and bio-fertilizer are different input from chemical or mineral fertilizers due to source of supplying of several nutrients an improving soil quality as well. In order to investigate the effects of different fertilizers and corm size on yield and yield components of saffron, an experiment was conducted as split plot factorial layout based on a complete randomized block design with four replications under field condition in Mahvelate during growing season of 2011-2012. In this study, manure and chemical fertilizers (in three levels of 0, 50 and 100%) considered as main factor and combination of biological fertilizer (in three levels such as nitroxin, bio superphosphate and without it) and corm weight (in three levels of 4-6, 8-10 and 12-14 g) were considered as sub factor. The results showed that the use of manure and chemical fertilizers had significant effects on fresh weight of flowers, length of stigma and style and number of flowers in saffron as well. These traits increased when fertilizer levels were enhanced. Results revealed that fresh weight of flower, flower number and length of stigma and style of saffron were significantly increased by increasing in corm size. Studying on the effect of biological fertilizers on saffron traits indicated that the most number of flowers obtained when nitroxin, bio superphosphate and no biological fertilizers were applied, respectively. Application of nitroxin fertilizer improved fresh weight of flowers, but application of bio superphosphat fertilizer had no significant effect on this traits. Style and stigma lengths of saffron were not significantly affected by application of biological fertilizers.