Evaluation of irrigation management of saffron at agroecosystem scale in dry region of Iran

Abstract

In order to study evaluation of irrigation management of saffron at agroecosystem, a study was conducted in 2001 and 2002. In this study four selected location were Birjand, Qaen, Gonabad and Torbat-Haydarieh, which are the main saffron producing areas in Iran. All information calculated based on actual data, collected from 160 saffron farms, aged between 1 and 5 years. Results showed there was very diverse date for first irrigation and therefore for first flowering in the area. Since irrigation application is the most important factor for flowering emergence in saffron, the timeliness of irrigation with regarded to labors intensification is important. There was a good correlation between irrigation interval and yield of saffron. Higher yield obtained with lower irrigation interval. Irrigation with 12 days, interval is the most frequent in Torbat-haydarieh and this could be reason for higher yield in this county, while in Gonabad a 12 day irrigation interval is not practices and in the other counties, the irrigation interval are more less the same. Mean yield for the farms with summer irrigation application was higher than other farms with no summer irrigation (4.9 and 3.35 kg ha-1, respectively) and this whole area nearly 60% of yield was obtained from that farms in which summer irrigation was practice. In general reducing interval of irrigation and one summer irrigation at stage of flower differentiation increase yield of saffron. © 2008 Asian Network for Scientific Information.