AGRONOMIC AND QUALITATIVE TRAITS OF SAFFRON AND CUMIN IN RESPONSE TO INTERCROPPING

As well as the expansion of land use due to the short period of saffron growth, its intercropping can also enhance yields and agronomic traits, which usually happens through weed control, shading, and the reduction of soil temperature and growth climate. Therefore, the effects of cumin seed rates in an intercropping on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of saffron were studied in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications in Zaveh, Torbat-E Heydariyeh, Iran, during 2016-2017. Treatments included five levels of cumin seed proportions (25, 50, 75 and 100% of the optimum density). The results of the study indicated the significant effect of cumin seed rates on all the measured traits of saffron except the number of flowers, daughter corms and leaves, as well as safranal value. The minimum and maximum weight of dry stigma was associated with the ratios of 100 and 25% of cumin seed, respectively. Any increase in the ratio of cumin seed by over 25% reduced the amount of other quantitative traits. The cumin seed ratio showed significant effects on the number of umbels per plant, the number of seeds per plant, and seed yield. Since the increase in the number of seeds per plant as a result of low ratios of cumin seed cannot compensate for the reduction of plants, therefore, lower yields would be attained. Totally, increasing shading and less competition, due to lower ratios of seed, improves physical, chemical and biological conditions of the soil, and helps to save more water. Such conditions improve the traits of corm, flower, and photosynthetic area, and so results in an economical saffron yield.