M.A. Thesis:

The effect of type and times of biological fertilizer on yield and yield components of Saffron Crocus sativus L.

Fertilizer application time plays an important role in increasing yields and quality of saffron. To evaluate the effect of application time and type of biological fertilizer on yield and yield components of saffron a factorial experiment was conducted in a private farm in Khorasan Razavi province in the city Sheshtamad. Factors were time of fertilizer application (January and early February) and the type of biological fertilizer humic acid (0.5 L.ha-1), Amino acid fertilizer (0.5 L.ha-1), complete fertilizer (2 L.ha-1), complete fertilizer+amino acids (1 L.ha-1+0.5 L.ha-1) and a control without the use of fertilizers. The results showed that Fertilizer application time had significant affect on fresh weight of flower, flower number per square meter, stigma length, stigma+style yield and stigma yield. Fertilizer application in February had higher positive effect than March. The highest flower fresh weight ( 200.6 kg.ha-1) , dry flower weight ( 20.06 kg.ha-1), number of flower (68.5), stigma length (2.57 cm), stigma+style yield (3.6 kg.ha-1) and stigma yield (1.75 kg.ha-1)was achieved by application of complete fertilizer+amino acids. Reaction of yield was also different to time of fertilizer application. In early February, using of amino acid was better compared to other fertilizers while in March complete fertilizer + amino acid or complete fertilizer had more yield compared to other fertilizers.

Keywords: Amino acids, Application time, Biological fertilizer, Saffron