African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 6 (20), pp. 2328-2332, 18 October 2007   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2007 Academic Journals        

Full Length Research Paper

The effects of different growing media on flowering and corm formation of saffron (Crocus sativus L.)

Hakan Turhan*, Fatih Kahriman, Cem Omer Egesel and Muhammet Kemal Gul

Department of Field Crops, Agricultural Faculty, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17020-Canakkale, Turkey.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: hturhan@comu.edu.tr. Tel: +90 286 2180018 (1266). Fax: +90 286 2180545.

Accepted 27 September, 2007

The objective of this research was to determine the effects of different growing media on saffron growth and corm formation in greenhouse conditions. In the experiment four different treatments were used. These were (1) soil+sand (control), (2) soil+sand+manure, (3) soil+sand+manure applied as a double layer above and bottom of corm bed, and (4) soil+sand+manure+ nitfojips-K. The results revealed that effects of the growing media on most of the characters were significant. Cow manure mixtures especially with double layers had a positive effect on the flower and stigma weight. Average flower weight per plant change between 0.157 - 0.240 g. The corm size did not change significantly in treatments 1, 2 and 3. However, in treatment 4, both corm weight and corm size were significantly lower than they were in the other treatments. The results suggested that the growing medium was one of the important factors for saffron flower and corm formation.

Key words: Saffron, stigma, yield, corm.