Growth, yield and quality of Saffron in response to different soil textures and temperature regimes

The current study was conducted in growth chamber with the aims to examine the effect of different soil types and temperature regimes on quantitative and qualitative traits of saffron and to assess the agro-climatic suitability of selected sites of Poonch Division of Azad Jammu & Kashmir for field scale saffron cultivation. Soil from 07 sites was collected and processed for pot filling. A total of 63 plastic pots (21 for each temperature level i.e., 19, 26 and 32 oC), were filled with soils of each site and incubated separately in growth chambers. The pots were arranged under completely randomized design (CRD) replicated thrice. Results indicated that maximum number of flowers (1.35 per plant), flower fresh weight (29.03 mg per plant), stigma length (1.21 cm), stigma fresh weight (8.97 mg per plant) and stigma yield (8.60 mg per pot) was recorded for Khaigala site (loam textured soil) at 26 oC followed by Trarkhel (sandy loam textured soil) and Abbaspur (loam textured soil) sites. On an average, maximum 58.30 days were taken to initiate flowering in soil of Alisojal site (clay loam textured soil) with flowering period of 17.06 days. The maximum number of daughter corms (2.92 per plant), corm diameter (9.61 mm), corm weight (15.76 g per plant), corm yield (47.28 g per pot), picrocrocin (11.32%) and safranal (0.22%) content was again recorded for Khaigala site (at 26 oC). However, maximum crocin content (14.33%) was noted for Alisojal site (1831 m altitude). The Cluster and PC analyses revealed that Khaigala, Trarkhel and Abbaspur sites produced saffron of better quality and agro-climatically suitable for establishment of saffron. Further, the saffron grown on loam and sandy loam textured soils showed better performance compared to that of clay textured soils.