Saud Sarbukh1, Wasim Mohsen1*, Nashat Abu Tafesh1, Maysoon Abu Ras1, and Maissa Amer1
1 Suwaida Research Center, of Field Crops, General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Wasim Mohsen, Email: wasimmo6@yahoo.com).
Received: 18/ 2/ 2025 Accepted: 3/ 9/ 2025
Abstract
This research was conducted at the Agricultural Scientific Research Center in As-Suwaida – Hout Station, which has swelling clay soil from 2020 to 2022. The study aimed to investigate the effects of three methods of saffron cultivation: (M1) cultivation on the shoulders of raised soil furrows, (M2) cultivation in rows, and (M3) cultivation in rows with the addition of volcanic tuff as a soil conditioner. The research focused on the impact of these methods on the growth of saffron plants, the yield of dry stigmas, quality. The results indicated that growing saffron using M1 improved the growth strength of the saffron plant, as evidenced by the increase in the average leaf length, the number of leaves, and the number of shoots produced, across all studied agricultural seasons. The superiority was statistically significant compared to other cultivation methods. Additionally, M1 enhanced the productivity of saffron stigmas and the weight of the stigma, with this increase being significant compared to other cultivation methods. The results also showed that adding volcanic tuff to the soil had negative effects on all studied indicators. Therefore, it is recommended to cultivate saffron using M1 in the swollen clay soils of As-Suwaida Governorate and not adding volcanic tuff to the soils designated for saffron cultivation.
Keywords: Saffron, swollen clay soil, stigmas, volcanic tuff, cultivation methods.
Full paper in Arabic: PDF