THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT GIBBERELLIC ACID DOSES AND CORM CUTTING METHODS ON SAFFRON (CROCUS SATIVUS L.) YIELD COMPONENTS IN TURKEY

In this study, the effects of different GA3 doses and different corm cutting methods on yield and yield components of saffron (Crocus sativus L.) plants were investigated. The study was conducted during 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 growing seasons under Hatay - Kirikhan ecological conditions. Two separate trials were established for different size saffron corms (small-size 4-7 cm in diameter, and large-size 8-12 cm). Firstly, saffron corms were cut with four different cutting methods (uncut, bottom, top and side-cut). Saffron corms to be planted were treated with different doses of 0 water (control), 250 mg/l, 500 mg/l and 1000 mg/l GA3. Experiments were conducted in randomized blocks splitsplit plots experimental design with 4 replications. Experiments were composed of 128 plots. In the experiment, the highest GA3 dose rate was observed in the control plot with 81.9% of the emergence percentage, dry stigma yield with 123.8 g/ha 1000 mg / l GA3, number of daughter bulbs was 466.9% in the control and the larger crest was obtained in the corm yield. Highest rate according to cutting method, 80.6% cut-out length with small cut-out, oversized cut, 104.1 g/ha dry cut with large cut, number of daughter bulbs 470% method was obtained from large crust with 131.2 kg/ha in case of corm yield.