YIELD AND QUALITY OF RED STIGMAS FROM DIFFERENT SAFFRON STRAINS AT CONTRASTING MEDITERRANEAN SITES

• Published in: Experimental agriculture 2006-10, Vol.42 (4), p.399-409
• Main Authors: YAU, S. K., NIMAH, M., TOUFEILI, I.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; altitude; Biological and medical sciences; bitterness; color; Crocus; Crocus cartwrightianus; Crocus sativus; Crop science; crop yield; cultivars; Elevation; environmental factors; field experimentation; Field tests; flowers; Flowers & plants; food quality; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Generalities. Agricultural and farming systems. Agricultural development; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; genotype-environment interaction; irrigation; Mediterranean climate; odors; saffron; stigma; strains; Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims; weather
• ISSN: 0014-4797; 1469-4441
• DOI: 10.1017/S0014479706003632

Three different saffron strains (Crocus sativus, C. sativus var. ‘cashmerianus’ and C. cartwrightianus) were tested for two years in field experiments to study their red stigma yield and quality. The experiments were performed at a high-elevation (rainfed or irrigated) site and a coastal site in Lebanon. On average, the two C. sativus strains gave more flowers and stigma yield than C. cartwrightianus. The former was more productive in the more favourable environments, especially at the warmer coastal site, than the latter. C. sativus ‘cashmerianus’, which yielded better at the coastal site in 2004 and gave a stronger colour strength and aroma, appeared to be the better choice for the area. Mean yield at the coastal site was twice that at the non-irrigated high-elevation site. On average, saffron produced at the coastal site had more colouring strength and bitterness than that produced at the high-elevation site. Nevertheless, viable commercial saffron production may still be possible in the semi-arid, high-elevation Bekaa Valley if irrigation can be provided.