Investigating the effect of different methods and levels of irrigation water on some vegetative characteristics and yield of saffron flower (Crocus.sativus L.)

In order to investigate the effect of different methods and levels of irrigation water on some vegetative and reproductive characteristics of saffron, this research was carried out in the form of a split-plot experiment in the form of a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Razavi Khorasan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Training Center. (Gonabad Research Station) was carried out in the crop years of 2017-2018. In this research, irrigation method treatments (including basin, drip and sprinkler (Pflex) methods) were in the main plot and different levels of irrigation water (including supplying 100, 75 and 50% of the water requirement) were in the sub plot. Results The comparison of the averages showed that in both years of the experiment, changing the irrigation method from basin to drip (tape) and sprinkler (P-flex) led to an increase in the studied properties. Reducing the amount of irrigation water from 100% to 50% of the water requirement also caused a decrease in leaf characteristics and stigma yield, but the efficiency of irrigation water consumption increased. Based on this, reducing the water requirement of saffron from 100 to 50% in the first and second year caused a 33% and 30% decrease in stigma yield, and a 32% and 37% increase in water consumption efficiency, respectively. Examining the interaction effects table showed that in the first year of the experiment, reducing the amount of irrigation from 100 to 50% caused a greater reduction in the total length of leaves per square meter under drip irrigation (tape) than the other two irrigation methods (82% in the drip method (tape) in contrast to 79% in the sprinkler (P-flex) method and 69% in the basin method). Based on this, although the positive effect and relative advantage of modern irrigation systems is decreasing with the increase in the age of the farm, it seems that it is possible to achieve optimal performance in the region by using rain irrigation sprinkler (P-flex) method in 100% of the water requirement.